A blockchain is a data structure that makes it possible to create a digital ledger of transactions and share it among a distributed network of computers. It uses cryptography to allow each participant on the network to manipulate the ledger in a secure way without the need for a central authority. I’ve written more about this here and here.
While widespread adoption is still not here, you can imagine how this technology will be used in capital markets to eliminate the need for reconciling separate ledgers, synchronizing all transactions into one blockchain.
Moody’s Investors Service (MIS) recently released a detailed report that names 120 blockchain projects being explored by various companies, along with 25 top use cases for blockchain technology.
You can explore these technologies in Moody’s report, “Credit Strategy — Blockchain Technology: Robust, Cost-effective Applications Key to Unlocking Blockchain’s Potential Credit Benefits.”