Blockchain & Cryptocurrency: The Future of Global Bitcoin Adoption
Cryptocurrencies have attracted lots of attention over the last few years. But why? In what contexts are these digital tokens useful, and which industries are most vulnerable to disruption?
Cryptocurrencies potentially have to change the way you do business. It’s simply not practical for every individual or company to arrange their bank account and verify personal information to be a financial institution.
However, with cryptocurrencies being independent of any government or central bank, it opens up an enormous amount possibilities for global adoption. How can this be accomplished, though? The solution is in blockchain technology.
Blockchain is the backbone of cryptocurrency systems and serves as an immutable record of digital transactions (blocks) that are connected through cryptography.
Cryptographic algorithms (e.g hashes, public keys, private keys) allow two users to transact anonymously without revealing sensitive details about their identities or the amount of money they’re sending to the other party unless necessary.
The usage of blockchain allows parties relying on a third-party intermediary may be a bank to make transactions and never have to trust them with sensitive information regarding the transaction itself.
keeping banks honest while also lowering costs by cutting out banking middlemen. Read on for more insights on how blockchain & cryptocurrencies will change financial services actually a term.
What is Blockchain Technology?
Blockchain is a decentralized, distributed digital ledger that records information about financial transactions and other contract activities (such as property transfers or ownership rights) in a permanent, unchangeable record.
This distributed ledger is managed by various institutions, companies, and individuals around the world, hence the term “blockchain.“
What makes blockchain technology stand out is it is decentralized: no central authority manages it, making it more secure than centralized systems in which one party controls the records and can modify them at will.
How does Blockchain Technology Work in Finance?
One key advantage of blockchain technology is its capability to securely record and track assets (such as stocks, bonds, real estate, and financial instruments) and their transferrable ownership rights, thus eliminating the irritation of going through a centralized intermediary may be a stock exchange or a bank.
People and organizations can store this information on a blockchain, a distributed system that tracks assets and verifies ownership details. For instance, suppose a vegetable or fruit market wants to track its assets on a blockchain.
Instead of writing a paper trail that is prone to human error or tampering, it can use blockchain technology to track and record the movement of assets.
Benefits of Blockchain in Finance
– Increased Privacy & Security: By using blockchain, transactions can be produced completely private and untraceable. Simply because once a transaction is broadcasted to the network, it becomes public and anyone can see it but no one can change or delete it.
– Reduced Intermediary Costs: Blockchain technology can reduce the price tag of doing business due to its decentralized nature. This means a company or individual doesn’t must pay a third-party intermediary (such as a stock exchange or a bank) to process a transaction.
– Reduced Risk: Using blockchain technology has the potential to lower the chance of fraud in business, as no one can falsify information and pull off it. Simply because every transaction and asset on a blockchain is recorded.
– Reduced Risk of Errors: By reducing the chance of human error and tampering, blockchain technology also helps reduce the risks of errors in the financial system, thereby increasing the trustworthiness of the system.
Disadvantages of Blockchain in Finance
– Lack of Standardization: Since blockchain technology is open-source and decentralized, different entities and organizations can use it in a different ways, and be responsible for a reduction in standardization and interoperability. This, in turn, makes it hard for financial institutions to develop blockchain-based products and services.
– Lack of Scalability: Blockchain is a decentralized system, so large data loads on the network can slow down, making it hard for applications to seamlessly access the network and verify data.
– Predictions are Tough to Make: Predictions on how quickly financial institutions will adopt blockchain technology are tough to make, as no one knows exactly how they will change their systems and business practices.
Some companies may be slow to adopt blockchain, while other financial institutions may be quicker than others.
Is Blockchain required for Cryptocurrencies to be used in Finance?
Yes. The usage of blockchain technology to develop financial services allows for the very same trust in the system, this is a requisite for cryptocurrencies to be played with in its place investment method. The technology behind cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin relies on blockchain technology to work.
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin potentially have disrupted financial services using blockchain technology. But will they? For cryptocurrencies to be played with in financial services, digital tokens must be traded on a platform that uses blockchain technology.
If a cryptocurrency can’t be traded on a platform that uses blockchain technology, then it probably won’t disrupt financial services through its use in this sector.
Finally, Blockchain and cryptocurrency potentially have to revolutionize global financial services. However, uptake of these technologies relies on the adoption of blockchain-based platforms for trading cryptocurrencies.
Financial services companies must be nimble and flexible to adapt to the rapid changes that blockchain technology brings.
