Unmasking Blockchain Finance (PDF)

Blockchain is a decentralised, peer-to-peer public electronic ledger that can be openly shared among disparate users to create an unchangeable record of their transactions and events each one time-stamped and linked to the previous one. Blockchain can also be used as a private electronic ledger, specific to a corporation, and representing a secure private network developed by the corporation's IT providers to meet a specific need.

Cryptocurrencies represent the finance side of blockchain technology and are the media used to transact business within the blockchain. Thus, while cryptocurrencies form a not-so-insignificant part of blockchain technology they are not its only constituent part. Indeed blockchain technology has applications in such diverse fields as manufacturing, supply chain, shipping, the legal system, government and governance, medicine (medical records) and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Initial coin offerings (ICOs) are a new way of raising funds for projects running on blockchain technology. Similar to the role venture capital (VC) plays in financing start-ups in traditional finance, ICOs are the future of venture investing in the blockchain world.