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Every time you hear the term blockchain, you immediately think of cryptocurrency. Although the two are often confused, many believe they are synonymous. Cryptocurrencies use blockchain technology for their operations.

This guide will provide information about blockchain technology, its functions, and how cryptocurrency is related to it.

What is Blockchain?

Bitcoin’s first introduction of blockchain was in 2014. Bitcoin was originally a cryptocurrency. However, it became a myth that blockchain is the same as cryptocurrencies.

Blockchain is a decentralized blockchain that holds the records of transactions. These ledgers cannot ever be altered. Once a transaction approval has been given and it is added to a block, it will be permanent. This transaction will continue to exist on the blockchain. What makes blockchain technology unique is its decentralization. There is no central authority who owns or manages it. It is owned by consumers.

Blocks store the data. Each block is comprised of a number of transactions. Each block is approved by the network, and is added to the chain, making it unchangeable.

What is Cryptocurrency, and Why Does it Matter?

Cryptocurrency can be described as crypto and currency. While it is obvious that currency refers to money, crypto can also be translated as encrypted or written using codes. It is a digital currency with the same value and meaning as money. It was designed to promote easy exchange. That’s where blockchain comes in. All crypto transactions are recorded using blockchain technology.

Bitcoin was the very first cryptocurrency. Blockchain has been synonymous with it ever since. Since then, thousands more cryptocurrencies have made their way onto the market.

How Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies Co-exist?

To create a digital chain of transactions, cryptocurrencies and blockchain are combined. There is no office, warehouse, or other location where the operations can be done. Below you will see the similarities.

Advanced Technologies

Both blockchains and cryptocurrencies, both are new technologies that continue to be a subject of curiosity for many. Many people are frustrated that there is not an authority to monitor cryptocurrency transactions. Additionally, cryptocurrencies are an advanced technology which did not make sense when it first emerged. There was some doubt about the possibility of cryptocurrencies being used to transact with money that didn’t exist. They are now accepted widely.

Intangible

Both the blockchains and cryptocurrencies can be intangible. The data can’t be accessed by anyone other than the server. There is no blockchain ownership because it is a distributed database. The cryptocurrency is much like fiat currency. It cannot be physically touched or held.

Interdependent

Bitcoin was developed to use blockchain technology. You can also argue that Bitcoin wouldn’t be possible without the blockchain. This is why blockchain is the foundation for cryptocurrency. Both technologies are interdependent.

Blockchain Use Cases Beyond Cryptocurrency

While cryptocurrencies rely on blockchain heavily, blockchain has an impact that goes far beyond cryptocurrency. It can be used to in many creative ways, such.

To Ease Transfers and Exchange

Blockchain is the future for the financial sector. While the financial industry’s main goal is to facilitate transfers and exchanges, traditional banking methods are costly and take too long. Blockchain transactions are much faster, more secure and less time-consuming. They also eliminate the need of banks as intermediaries and allow users to transact easily with each other. It also increases transparency, security, and trust, as all transactions are recorded.

Cybersecurity

The decentralization of blockchain technology makes it impossible for hackers to target a single point. Blockchains can store data in a distributed manner, making them the most secure. Additionally, any unauthorised change can be easily tracked.

Smart Contracts

Blockchain technologies have enabled the creation of smart contracts that can be transparently executed and are safe. Smart contracts are able to record the terms of agreements and execute automatically if the parties have fulfilled the contract conditions. You can use them for multiple purposes which can greatly reduce your business costs.

NFTs

NFTs, which are Non-fungible tokens, have been gaining immense popularity because of their uniqueness. They can be used to represent ownership of an item. It could be anything from an original art piece to a digital item like coins. They are popularly used in the metaverse. Their popularity has given them a new identity. They can also be based on blockchain technology.

Record Availability

The transparency of blockchains allows for records to be shared between industries to enable faster processing. For example in the instance of health insurance, records from patients can be easily made accessible to insurance companies. Insurance companies are also able to easily process claims because the data on blockchain is authentic.

Voting

Elections are often called fraudulent. However, no matter how advanced the technology used, there’s always a question about their authenticity. Blockchain technology can eradicate this. Blockchain technology will ensure that there is no opportunity for fraud or tampering in elections. An added benefit is the ability to receive instant results.

Blockchain Technology Is the Future of Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency ever created. It was based upon blockchain technology. Although they are very popular, there has been the question of if there is a future for cryptocurrency without blockchain technology.

All the new cryptocurrency started using blockchain technology. After Bitcoin, blockchain and cryptocurrency became inseparable. Most cryptocurrencies continue to work on blockchain technologies today.

However, this does not guarantee that the technology will remain in harmony in the future. IOTA is an example of a cryptocurrency which is not blockchain-based. It is instead based on a mathematical idea called “Tangle”, and it has already generated buzz. Reason? Its owners claim that the device will be faster and more efficient than Bitcoin.

This is only the beginning for a new era of blockchain and cryptocurrencies that will change the world in unimaginable ways.