What is Blockchain Technology?
Blockchain is the technology capable of supporting various applications related to multiple industries like finance, supply chain, manufacturing, etc. Still, cryptocurrency relies on Blockchain technology to be secure. Back when we were much smaller societies, people could trade in communities pretty easily. But as the distance in trade grew, they ended up inventing institutions.
Case in point: You’ve probably used Uber, Airbnb, or even Amazon. Such digital marketplaces and platforms help us facilitate an exchange of value. But today, we actually have a technology that allows us to trade one to one, but at scale. And it’s called blockchain technology.
There is some kind of interface for it. You could have an app or use your computer to do it. But instead of having a middleman, there is a bunch of software code that guarantees your transactions as they happen.
How Does Blockchain Technology Work?
Blockchain comprises four components. The first is a peer-to-peer network, which is accessible to everybody. This is essentially what the Internet provides us with now. We require this network in order to converse and share information with one another remotely.
Cryptography is the second component. This is the process of encrypting data and changing it to an unreadable format that only someone who knows the secret key can read or decrypt. This technology, which uses a complex public and private digital key system, safeguards cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
These keys make it easier to complete two-party transactions. They generate a secure digital identification reference and are unique to each user. This brings us to the most important aspect of Blockchain technology. Transactions. They are authorized and managed using this identity. Because simply being able to communicate isn’t enough. You’ll also need to ensure that your communication is unaltered.
A consensus algorithm is the third component. And last but not least, there is the issue of punishment and reward. Game Theory is where the latter comes from. It ensures that people will always follow the rules in their best interests. Each time users establish a consensus and add a new block to the chain, they receive a token or coin. Punishment for bad actors, on the other hand, is a loss of money spent on computational power.
Last but not least, keep in mind that the punishment and reward system is based on psychological behavior. It transforms the system’s rules from something you must obey into something you will want to follow since it is in your best interests.
Does All Cryptocurrency Embrace Blockchain Technology?
Technically, the short answer is, yes, it does. Because without blockchain, cryptocurrency would not exist. Thanks to Satoshi Nakamoto for implementing blockchain in bitcoin! Because soon after that, there was the rise of other cryptocurrencies.
We wouldn’t have the likes of Ethereum, and meme coins like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu had it not been for his bold venture. And if cryptocurrency is like Instagram and Twitter, blockchain is the entire social media. We really have seen just the tip of the iceberg!