Introduction to Bitcoin, Blockchain, Distributed Ledger Technologies & Financial Inclusion

Presenter: Dr Leon Perlman
Head, DFS Observatory, Columbia Business School

Distributed ledger technology (DLT) is a new type of secure database or ledger for keeping track of who owns a financial, physical, or electronic asset, but without the need for a centralized controller of this data. Instead, the data is shared in a peer-to-peer manner across multiple sites, countries, or institutions

A prime example of a DLT in commercial use is called ‘blockchain’ technology. It has the potential to:

- Speed up and reduce the cost of transactions
- Give individuals more control over their personal data
- Reduce or remove the need for costly intermediaries
- Provide secure ‘smart’ legal contracts that execute without user intervention
- Bolster data security by providing almost real-time evidence of tampering, and
- Revolutionize regulatory compliance.
- This webinar is an introductory primer to all these technologies and their application in financial inclusion. It will touch on:

- Their numerous strengths and weaknesses
- The varied commercial and public-good applications that have been identified The implications of the disintermediation of traditional centralized controllers of data
- Concerns in respect of the technology designs and their consistency
- Issues in implementation and usage Security of DLTs
- A sample of evolving legal and regulatory challenges and uncertainties around DLTs
- Applications that may be particularly useful for financial inclusion, including remittances & identity systems, clearing and settlement, and land registration.

• Category

  Cryptocurrency