A blockchain is a digital ledger which works in a decentralised manner facilitating transactions and tracking assets in an immutable ledger and data entry cannot be reversed. The transactions are saved in a chain of blocks.
Blockchain uses digital signatures in the form of a public key/private key pair, that are commonly used to enable the identification of a participant part of the transaction. In a proof-of-work model, the computing power needed to support the distributed ledger is generally provided by the users/miners, who are often paid small amounts of the applicable cryptocurrency for their efforts.
The decentralisation of data transportation and administration, as well as digital representations of assets or other value, is enabled by blockchain technology. More specifically, blockchain technology enables the authentication and settlement of transactions without the use of centralised intermediaries or authorities. This is due to the distributed nature of a blockchain. It also has the ability to enable trustable transactions between computers through a distributed consensus mechanism.
Subjects in this piece
Where this comes up.
Videos, writing and market activity on the same subject, in Data & Technology.
The DPDP Consent Manager Deadline: What Data Fiduciaries Must Have Ready by 13 November 2026
Law at the Edge of Technology: Navigating AI, Media and IP Across Borders
The Great Legal Minds Show – Anirudh Rastogi, Ikigai Law
Minds Behind Real-time Intelligence Agent (RIA) – Gunjan Paharia & Jasminder Singh Gulati
Data Localisation & Digital Sovereignty: Cross-Border Data Regulation Explained
