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How Blockchain Works: Introduction

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong kicks off the How Blockchain Works series that dives into the details of how blockchain technology operates. From its decentralized nature to its potential impact on society, we'll cover it all in this series. Featuring Brian Armstrong CEO & Founder of Coinbase Mark Cuban, Investor *The information in this video is not financial advice. Created by Code.org.

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Video transcript

So when people first hear about blockchain, they often find it to be a little bit confusing or it's daunting to understand it, and that's totally understandable. We've all heard a lot about cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The digital currency has exploded in popularity this year. Unbelievable how much this has taken off. Well bitcoin has been plummeting, cryptocurrencies basically have no value. There's the currency like bitcoin and then there's the technology, like blockchain. To really understand crypto, you have to understand the technology that makes it possible. Blockchain. What's blockchain? Blockchain is a distributed database that is supported by remote validators that enable security and replication of the information on the blockchain so it's never lost. Huh? Blockchains are decentralized databases. It records transactions. When you change the information on one computer, it changes the information on all the other computers at exactly the same time. Blockchain is a new technological innovation that stores transactions on a distributed ledger of computers. It has the potential to enable significant societal and political change by removing the trust that's needed in intermediaries or third parties. What can blockchains be used for? Blockchain technology can disrupt the art world. It can disrupt social media. For medical records, for property records, for property rights, for creating a stream of income, whether it's a song or a picture. We won't really know what its future is until it gets properly regulated. If you know nothing about blockchain, don't worry. This series breaks down the technology into simple to understand steps. We'll talk about what impact it's having on the world today and on the future.