Noticias
Tech x Industries | Beyond cryptocurrencies: Exploring the potential of blockchain technology
We are no longer talking about blockchain, but blockchains, in plural. This is one of the conclusions of the Tech x Industries session organised by Tech Barcelona, which was attended by Global and Main Partners of the association, with the aim of understanding what solutions are being developed in Barcelona and to have the pulse of the ecosystem. Some people still associate blockchain with cryptocurrencies and NFT and this is only a small part of it. The tip of the iceberg. But the possibilities offered by this technology are vast: from supply chain management and traceability, to the automation of smart contracts and the protection of digital identity.
Although the blockchain was first introduced in 2009 with the launch of Bitcoin, it initially focused on cryptocurrency transactions. However, as its functioning and potential were understood, new applications beyond cryptocurrencies were explored.
In that sense, in 2015 everything changed. With the launch of Ethereum, we began to talk about blockchain with a general purpose. In other words: the application of technology beyond financial transactions and cryptocurrencies. Ethereum introduced a new dimension by enabling the creation of smart contracts and this opened the door to a wide range of possibilities beyond simple financial transactions. Since then, the general purpose blockchain concept has continued to evolve. New blockchain platforms and protocols have been developed and adopted with more capabilities – scalability, privacy and interoperability. This has enabled the exploration of use cases in areas such as supply chain management, e-voting, digital identity, asset management and more.
Barcelona has become one of the main hubs of innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of blockchain technology, where several startups, especially, are challenging established norms and leading change. Here are six key players in the sector with diverse solutions and applications:
