The cryptocurrency revolution is already underway. In this article, we explore how cryptocurrencies will change the world as we know it, according to industry experts like Dan Schatt.
Cryptocurrencies are digital or virtual tokens that use cryptography to secure their transactions and to control the creation of new units. Bitcoin, the first and most well-known cryptocurrency, was created in 2009. Cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin and Ethereum, are digital assets that function as a medium of exchange using cryptography to secure transactions. Blockchain is the underlying technology that powers cryptocurrencies. A blockchain is a decentralized public ledger where transactions of digital currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are recorded chronologically and publicly. There are multiple types of blockchains, but they all share the same features: they are decentralized, secure, and transparent.
Blockchain technology is uniquely suited for cryptocurrencies because it solves the double-spending problem. With traditional centralized systems, such as credit cards, if someone spends the same dollar twice, the system will detect the fraud and prevent it. However, with digital currencies like Bitcoin, it’s possible to spend the same currency unit twice because it’s just a number that exists on a digital ledger. Blockchain technology solves this problem by using a distributed network of computers to record and verify transactions. This prevents people from spending the same unit of currency twice.
Cryptocurrencies are also borderless and decentralized, meaning they can be used anywhere in the world without the need for a bank. As a result, there are many unbanked people in countries like Brazil and Indonesia that cryptocurrency can help by removing barriers to access capital markets. In addition, cryptocurrencies protect consumers from fraud because they use a secure digital verification process known as cryptography. They also provide an economic incentive through a process called “mining,” which rewards users who provide computing power to verify transactions with newly minted cryptocurrency units.
So why is this important, and how will it change the world?
Cryptocurrencies have a number of benefits that will shape our world more than we currently realize:
Cross-border payments: Cryptocurrency enables direct cross-border payments from anywhere in the world at little to no cost.
Fraud prevention: Cryptocurrency is fraud-resistant due to its cryptographic verification process.
Access to capital: Cryptocurrencies provide access to the unbanked and underbanked capital markets.
Decentralized systems: Cryptocurrencies are built on decentralized systems that require trust.
These benefits have the potential to change the world in profound ways. For example, cryptocurrencies could revolutionize how we pay for goods and services. They could also help reduce fraud and provide access to capital markets for the billions of people currently without it. In addition, cryptocurrencies are built on decentralized systems that don’t require trust, which could lead to a new global sharing economy.
This is just the beginning. Exciting times are ahead for cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, so stay tuned to find out even more ways they will change the world. Experts predict that in the future, cryptocurrencies will enable new economies and the possibility of “tokenizing” everything from ideas, to goods, to loyalty points.
2018 ·