Blockchain Observations

Being a forum for blockchain ideas

Retired Member 

Trade Finance towards Blockchain

Blockchain – the BUZZ word that’s been going around for a few years now, but what exactly is it? Blockchain is just one form of the “Distributed Ledger” technology. To rephrase, “All Blockchain platforms are based on the Distributed Ledger technology but not all Distributed Ledger platforms can be termed as Blockchain”. Let's start from the Ledger...

09 October 2018

Carlo R.W. De Meijer Owner and Economist at MIFSA

Blockchain versus GDPR and who should adjust most

It has now been more than four months since the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (hereafter GDPR) came into effect. This regulation aims to strengthen privacy and personal data protection in the EU, by giving private persons more control over their personal data. But it also offer a uniform set of regulations for businesses with ...

09 October 2018 /regulation

Carlo R.W. De Meijer Owner and Economist at MIFSA

Red Belly Blockchain: solving the scalability issue?

In an earlier blog (“Blockchain is looking for Scale: a Balancing Act, Part I + II, 18 June 2018) I showed how the blockchain world was trying to solve the scalability issue. There I concluded that it was “hard labor” to solve the so-called Scalability Trilemma. That means reaching enough scalability without compromising transparency and secur...

02 October 2018

Retired Member 

Decentralization teardown

A decentralised peer-to-peer system sounds exciting, but does it really work that way when it comes to blockchain in general and cryptocurrencies in particular? “The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms.” -- Socrates In (the largest) CPU we trust Let’s re-visit the genesis of “purely peer-to-peer” blockchain – Satoshi’s 2009 whitepaper. ...

25 September 2018

Carlo R.W. De Meijer Owner and Economist at MIFSA

Komgo: Dutch banks going blockchain for commodities trade finance

Trade finance is one of the most crowded areas for blockchain-based projects. In one of my earlier blogs I gave an overview of them (see my blog: “Blockchain for Trade Finance: a network business”, 23 May 2018). And now, a new one can be added to that list: Komgo. A consortium of fifteen of the world’s largest institutions, including internationa...

25 September 2018

Retired Member 

Uber now runs on blockchain

Using a decentralised blockchain architecture based on the advanced Chandra–Toueg consensus algorithm, Uber can now cut through the Byzantine complexity of booking a ride by connecting drivers and passengers directly via instant P2P protocol. There are immediate plans to introduce Uber coin that will allow to slash payment costs in half whilst gre...

24 September 2018

Vinod Sharma CTO - FinTech Domain at Econet Wireless Zimbabwe

Blockchain: The Strong Backbone for Businesses

What is Blockchain Technology? How one blockchain can have Infinite possibilities & opportunities in hand in this red ocean market world. Total Reading Time – 7-8 Minutes Some background Blockchain as on date is mystery story for many (Including my self). We have heard lot that it yields strong potential in global supply chain. It is beco...

22 September 2018

Chris Brown CTO at Trusek

Cryptocurrencies: where to from here?

Cryptocurrencies have shown the world a new way of paying for goods and transferring money using an international currency unconstrained by national boundaries and national politics. A new democratised, decentralised way of managing money. There are problems in paradise however. The current crop of cryptocurrencies are swiftly turning into an en...

20 September 2018

Retired Member 

Pain but no gain

Whilst it is easy to “mourn” the loss of US$600bn in cryptocurrencies “value”, let’s pause there for a second. All the money in the world is backed by nothing but “full faith and credit” of the government that issued that money. That’s why it’s called “fiat money”. Cryptocurrencies are a form of money, but not “fiat” – as there is not even a lame...

18 September 2018 /payments

Retired Member 

The fallacy of 51 percent

I’ve covered decentralization in my previous post. It is also important to understand another related fallacy – consensus. Consensus is the foundation of any blockchain protocol which makes the “decentralised/distributed” part of it possible. There are several core mechanisms – and their derivatives – currently in use by the crypto/blockchain commu...

16 September 2018