STOCK MARKET WATCH -- Monday, 14 March 2016

[Gungnir]

16. Wall Street is obsessed with this technology that no one quite understands (blockchain)

http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-blockchain-barclays-2016-3

"A blockchain is simply a specific type of database (or ledger) that stores transactions," Hill wrote. But there are a number of features that differentiate it from typical ledgers.

1. "Transactions are stored in a string of digital blocks, with each block referencing the prior one."

2. "A block of transactions is only added to the chain if it is verified by cryptographic techniques using significant computing power. Crucially, the nature of the verification process is such that the validity of any block can be verified easily and quickly, effectively eliminating the possibility of fraudulent transactions and making it virtually impossible to retroactively alter any single block of the chain."

3. "The database is distributed, i.e. all users are notified immediately of new additions to the blockchain. The distributed nature of the blockchain allows for all users to have a verified and secure version of the blockchain at all times."

Here's a helpful diagram from Hill: