Find out the use of blockchain technologies beyond bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.

Blockchain technologies are the digital, distributed, and decentralized ledger representing the most virtual currencies that are accountable for logging all transactions without the need for a financial mediator, such as a bank. In other words, it's a new means of transmitting funds and logging information.

Blockchain is the insight of developers who believed that the current banking system had defects. In particular, they viewed banks acting as third parties and taking transaction fees unnecessarily, and they scoffed at the idea that payment validation and settlement could take up to five business days in cross-border transactions. With blockchain, real-time transactions are a possibility (even across borders), while banks are left out of the equation entirely, presumably reducing transaction fees.

Beyond the currency setting, there are other uses for blockchain too. Various Dow Jones Industrial Average elements are testing out some of these applications in small-scale projects and controlled demos right now.

Here are the 10 effective applications of blockchain technology

Money Transfer and Payment Processing

Potentially the most ideal and rational application of blockchain technology is using it as a means to accelerate the transfer of funds from one party to another. Most transactions carried over via blockchain can be settled within a matter of seconds, while banks take 24hours a day and even seven days a week.

Supply Chains Monitoring

Blockchain technology is easy to apply when it comes to monitoring supply chains. By eradicating paper-based trials, enterprises are able to spot inefficiencies within their supply chains rapidly, as well as to detect items in real-time. Blockchain also enables enterprises, and even consumers, to perceive how products perform from a quality-control point of view as they move from their place of origin to the retailer.

Retail Programs Based on Loyalty Rewards

Blockchain also helps in transfiguring the retail experience by becoming the go-to for loyalty rewards. By designing a token-based system that rewards consumers, and storing these tokens within a blockchain, would encourage consumers to return to a certain store or chain to do their shopping. It would also terminate the fraud and waste that are commonly associated with paper- and card-based loyalty rewards programs.

Digital IDs

More than 1 billion people around the globe face challenges related to identity issues. Microsoft is looking to alter that. It's designing digital IDs within its Authenticator application that are currently used by millions of people, which would give users a way to control and manage their digital identities. This would enable users in indigent regions to get access to financial services or begin their own business.

Sharing of Data

Cryptocurrency IOTA has introduced a beta version of its Data Marketplace in November, explaining that blockchain could be used as a marketplace to share or sell data that are unused. Since most enterprise data goes unused, blockchain could act as a mediator to store and move this data to enhance a mass of industries.

Protection of Royalty and Copyright

Copyright and royalty laws on music and other content have grown claggy in a world that has growing internet access. Blockchain can be applied to beef up those copyrights for digital content downloads which will ensure that the creator of the content being purchased gets their legitimate share.

Digital voting

Blockchain provides the ability to vote digitally, and it is transparent enough that any regulators would be able to see if something was altered on the network. It integrates the ease of digital voting with the immutability (i.e., unchanging nature) of blockchain to make the vote really count.

Transfer of Real Estate, Land, and Auto Title

One of the foremost goals of blockchain is to take the paper out of the equation since paper trails are often a route for confusion. If people are buying or selling land, a house, or a car, they will need to transfer or receive a title. Instead of operating this on paper, blockchain helps in storing titles on its network, enabling for a transparent view of this transfer, as well as exhibiting a crystal-clear picture of legal ownership.

Food Safety

Another fascinating application of blockchain technology enables tracing food from its origin to the plate. Since blockchain data is unchangeable, one is able to track the transport of food products from their origin to the supermarket.

Unchangeable Data Backup

Blockchain technology is the ideal way to back up data. Even though cloud storage systems are created to be a go-to source for data safekeeping, they're susceptible to hackers, or even infrastructure problems. Using blockchain as a backup source for cloud data centers or any data could settle this issue.