区块链去中介化什么意思,区块链具有去中介的特征

『一』What is blockchain

Blockchain is a new application model of computer technology such as distributed data storage, point-to-point transmission, consensus mechanism, and encryption algorithm. The so-called consensus mechanism is a mathematical algorithm that establishes trust and obtains rights and interests between different nodes in the blockchain system. Blockchain is an important concept of Bitcoin. It is essentially a disintermediated database and serves as the underlying technology of Bitcoin. The blockchain is a series of data blocks generated using cryptographic methods. Each data block contains information about a Bitcoin network transaction and is used to verify the validity of its information (anti-counterfeiting) and generate the next block.

Generally speaking, the blockchain system consists of data layer, network layer, consensus layer, incentive layer, contract layer and application layer. Among them, the data layer encapsulates the underlying data blocks and related basic data and basic algorithms such as data encryption and timestamps; the network layer includes distributed networking mechanisms, data dissemination mechanisms, and data verification mechanisms; the consensus layer mainly encapsulates network nodes Various consensus algorithms; the incentive layer integrates economic factors into the blockchain technology system, mainly including the issuance mechanism and distribution mechanism of economic incentives; the contract layer mainly encapsulates various scripts, algorithms and smart contracts, and is the core of the blockchain The basis of programmable features; the application layer encapsulates various application scenarios and cases of the blockchain. In this model, the chain block structure based on timestamps, the consensus mechanism of distributed nodes, economic incentives based on consensus computing power, and flexible programmable smart contracts are the most representative innovations of blockchain technology.



Isn’t this sentence very awkward? It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand, let’s use an analogy.

Imagine everyone has a magical little notebook. When a transaction occurs between two people, the transaction is recorded in your two notebooks without any intermediary, including a notary. The most amazing thing is that this transaction record will be automatically copied to everyone's notebook soon, and everyone can see it. When more than half of the small books have records of this transaction, the transaction will officially take effect.

After the transaction takes effect, you cannot tamper with the record privately. Even if you can tamper with the records in your own notebook, unless you can tamper with the records in most people's notebooks at the same time (which is almost impossible), the transaction will still be valid.

So there is no need for a third-party trusted intermediary, and such transactions can proceed with confidence because everyone else is automatically notarizing the transaction. Do you want to default on the payment after buying something? no way. Likewise, you don’t have to worry about the other party defaulting on your account.

Because blockchain has the characteristics of large-scale scalability, open and transparent data, and non-editable data, it can especially effectively solve the problem of trust among strangers, so it can be extended to all fields that can be digitized. Such as digital currency, payment settlement, digital bills, proof of rights, credit reporting, governmentservices, medical records, etc.

『二』What are the application areas of blockchain technology?

Blockchain has become popular, so what are the application fields of blockchain?

At present, the most extensive and successful application of blockchain technology is the digital currency represented by Bitcoin. Digital currency has developed rapidly in recent years. Due to the characteristics of decentralized credit and frequent transactions, it has a high transaction value and can maintain a relatively stable price through the development of hedging financial derivatives as a quasi-super-sovereign currency.

Financial institutions are the most willing to explore blockchain applications and need new technologies to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs to cope with the current status of the entire global economy. Objectively speaking, the market space in the financial industry is huge, and a little progress can bring huge benefits. The financial industry is an industry with extremely high requirements for security and stability. If the application of blockchain in the financial field is verified, it will have a huge demonstration effect and be quickly promoted in other industries. In the financial field, in addition to digital currency applications, blockchain has gradually begun to be applied in cross-border payments, supply chain finance, insurance, digital bills, asset securitization, bank credit reporting and other fields.

As the application of blockchain technology in the financial field continues to be verified, its technical advantages are gradually showing value in other industries. At present, blockchain application projects are gradually being implemented in fields such as medical and health, IP copyright, education, culture and entertainment, communications, charity, social management, sharing economy, and the Internet of Things, and "blockchain" is becoming a reality.

(1) Blockchain medical care: In the medical field, blockchain can use its anonymity, decentralization and other characteristics to protect patient privacy. Electronic health (EHR), DNA wallet, drug anti-counterfeiting, etc. are all possible application areas of blockchain technology. IBM predicted in last year's report that 56% of medical institutions around the world will invest in blockchain technology by 2020.

(2) Blockchain Internet of Things: The Internet of Things is a very broad concept. If communications, energy management, supply chain management, sharing economy, etc. are included, the Internet of Things with blockchain technology Application will become a very important application field.

(3) Blockchain IP copyright & cultural entertainment: Since the Internet became popular, digital music, digital books, digital videos, digital games, etc. have gradually become mainstream. The rise of the knowledge economy has made intellectual property rights a core element of market competition. However, intellectual property infringement is serious in the current Internet ecosystem, and the copyright protection of digital assets has become a pain point in the industry. Blockchain has the characteristics of disintermediation, consensus mechanism, and non-tampering. Blockchain technology can effectively integrate all aspects of the cultural and entertainment value chain, accelerate circulation, and shorten the value creation cycle; at the same time, the value of digital content can be realized Transfer, and ensure that the transfer process is credible, auditable and transparent, effectively preventing piracy and other behaviors. Blockchain public services & education: In the fields of public services, education, charity and public welfare, file management, identityIssues such as (qualification) certification and public trust all exist objectively. The traditional method is to rely on a credible third party for credit endorsement, but problems such as fraud and deficiencies still exist.

『三』How to understand the decentralization feature of blockchain technology

On the Internet, the most typical example of centralization is the portal website. All the information is collected on its own platform, forming a central node, and then many branches extend from this node, but usually only one node is making decisions. Jinwowo Network Technology analysis believes that the characteristics leading to centralization are:

1. The central node controls the distributed node information

2. The branch nodes do not control other node information (centralization , the transaction is not public).

And the pain point of centralization is that system security depends on the security of the central node, and distributed nodes have no control over this.

『四』What does the decentralization of the blockchain mean?

The decentralization of the blockchain refers to the form of social relations and content generated during the development of the blockchain. Form is a new online content production process compared to "centralization".

Blockchain is an important concept of Bitcoin. It is essentially a decentralized database. As the underlying technology of Bitcoin, it is a series of data blocks generated using cryptographic methods. , each data block contains a batch of Bitcoin network transaction information, which is used to verify the validity of its information (anti-counterfeiting) and generate the next block.

The blockchain is unified across the entire network, so it is logically centralized. From an architectural point of view, blockchain is based on a peer-to-peer network, so it has a decentralized architecture. From a governance perspective, blockchain uses consensus algorithms to make it difficult for a few people to control the entire system, so its governance is decentralized.

(4) Extended reading on blockchain economic deintermediation:

Characteristics of blockchain decentralization:

Decentralization does not mean that there is no center, but that the nodes can freely choose and determine the center. Simply put, centralization means the center determines the node. Nodes must rely on the center. Nodes cannot survive without the center.

In a decentralized system, anyone is a node, and anyone can become a center. No center is permanent, but is temporary, and no center is mandatory for nodes.

With the diversification of network service forms, the decentralized network model is becoming more and more clear and becoming more and more possible. After the rise of Web 2.0, the services provided by network service providers such as Wikipedia, Flickr, and Blogger are all decentralized. Any participant can submit content, and netizens can jointly create or contribute content.

Reference source: Network-Blockchain

Reference source: Network-Decentralization

『Wu』 Are there 10 cases where blockchain has changed existing business?

This article introduces the current 10 main usage scenarios of blockchain:

(1) Tracking Products in the global supply chain;

is a typical usage scenario of blockchain technology in security traceability. It can promote information tracking, query, verification and anti-counterfeiting of commodity circulation, and can significantly improve the efficiency of some links. However, the role of the blockchain can only be reflected in the chain, but it cannot cover the parts operated by people below the chain.

(2) Guarantee 3D printing quality and tracking;

(3) Create personalized and lifelong “one-stop” medical records;

Blockchain healthcare can track anyone’s complete medical history, such as medications , illnesses, injuries, and transactions across health systems, physicians, pharmacies, and health plans, and empowering patients to control their own data. Blockchain can also transfer insurance payments: smart contracts can automatically trigger insurance provisions when a clinic confirms a patient has received treatment, and prevent fraudulent or inaccurate claims. Some startups, such as the UK's Medicalchain, blockchain company Gem, MIT and other companies and universities are experimenting with this use.

(4) Simplify trade logistics;

Traditional trade involves complex import and export procedures, and all participants in the entire chain require a large number of paper documents to interact, resulting in high communication costs. Blockchain can optimize this system. Maersk and IBM have created a platform that integrates services such as liner, warehouse, freight forwarding, ports, customs, exporters, importers and trade finance banks into the trade ecosystem, on a data exchange platform running on the blockchain interoperate.

(5) Facilitate and secure customs trade;

Blockchain has been tested in many customs departments, including the United Kingdom, South Korea, Singapore, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru and the 15-nation East African Group. In 2017, U.S. Customs developed 14 use cases for blockchain, which are currently being tested and evaluated. Blockchain will be particularly useful for the UK: when the UK leaves the EU customs union, its number of customs declarations will increase from 55 million to over 250 million (non-EU trade plus EU trade, which previously did not require customs documents), which is currently the case with UK software The program cannot fully handle it. Blockchain can help: It can trace the origins of products and help determine the origin and appropriate tariffs for goods, such as those destined to join the European Union’s tariff package. For the UK’s 28 border agencies, imported products such as food, safety and intellectual property compliance need to be analyzed, and blockchain projects can be shared securely and transparently in real time.

(6) Prevent voting fraud and protect voter identities;

Blockchain security and identity protection features can reduce fraud and encourage voters to believe their votes are anonymous,

increase turnout and make elections more immediate . Using the technology, voters can scan their thumbs with their smartphones and cast their ballots during their Election Day commute. If everyone votes via the blockchain, no one can vote twice. Voting records are inviolable, every polling placeThe ID of each ballot will be recorded immediately.

(7) Launch crop insurance for farmers;

Crop insurance customized to specific farmer needs is often very expensive, and blockchain technology can reduce costs by determining trigger conditions and automating execution. For example, farmers can insure against extreme weather. If extreme weather affects a harvest, a blockchain-based insurance contract would immediately recognize this and pay the farmer’s claim.

Establishing a network of energy producers and users;

Decades ago, some companies introduced smart grids to provide intermediary services for energy producers and demanders. Now, blockchain can optimize smart grids and provide energy producers and consumers with a regional intermediary energy trading platform. TenneT and Brooklyn-based startup LO3 Energy are both trying this business.

(9) Create smart cities that can operate independently;

Blockchain can now amplify the impact of Douyou IoT on city operations. For example, Dubai has a pilot project to implement blockchain in city services. Dubai plans to use blockchain for more than 100 million annual government documents by 2020, including all visa applications, bill payments and license renewals.

(10) Automatic payment to the exporter when the goods arrive at the foreign buyer;

Blockchain changes the information asymmetry in existing international trade by allowing both parties to the transaction to access the same data and real-time digital files question. There is no need to store multiple copies of the same document across different databases for different entities. When goods arrive marked by sensors connected to the smart contract, a transfer of money from the buyer to the seller is automatically triggered.

2. Ten major problems currently faced by the blockchain industry and their analysis

2.1. Is the data on the blockchain really immutable?

Can one of the core features of blockchain, "anti-tampering", really be realized? And is "tamper-proof" really beneficial?

The report pointed out that the blockchain is not completely immutable, and gave three weaknesses of the blockchain:

(2) It may be hacked, and 51% of the chain is controlled by people who want to tamper with the results.

(3) The "garbage of garbage" problem has existed for centuries. The value of a blockchain depends on the data on the chain, and data entered into the blockchain may be inaccurate or fraudulent. One solution is to use sensors instead of manually entering data.

The so-called "51% attack" is to take advantage of computing power to cancel payment transactions that have already occurred. If someone has more than 50% of the computing power, he can find the random numbers needed to mine the block faster than others, so he actually has the absolute and effective right to decide which block. From a technical level, a 51% attack is achievable, but the cost is very high for the earliest cryptocurrencies such as BTC. They have built a huge network, which is why BTC’s network has remained stable for 10 years. reason. But with other counterfeit currencies, the risk is greater.

In addition, there is no direct benefit for the attacker to simply launch a 51% attack, and it must be linked to specific short selling and false recharge. Specifically, it oftenIt is a double expenditure for a certain transaction. The attacker stops attacking once. Continuous attacks are costly and will stop once successful; second, the community can issue an emergency pudding and add checkpoints to the blockchain. The community urgently agreed that the attacker’s blockchain was invalid. Therefore, there are many ways to deal with the 51% attack, and it will not be the end of the world for a blockchain.

2.2. Who owns and maintains the blockchain? And who asked about the appearance?

Responsible for problems and losses?

Since the blockchain is a decentralized user community, who will maintain it? Shouldn’t it require human adjustment and maintenance just like a website?

For permissioned chains, such as alliance chains and private chains, there is no need for incentives such as tokens to motivate people to manage, there is a manager who manages the entire network. Since there are fewer users in the network, coordination costs are relatively low. However, such networks are susceptible to security challenges, and as the number of network users increases, coordination costs will increase.

For consortium chains and private chains, since they are still very centralized organizations, the verification nodes are identified by the organization itself, so the management model is not very different from traditional centralized institutions. However, for public chains, there is no leader who coordinates the entire network system, and only relies on token incentives to coordinate different interest groups, which undoubtedly increases the instability of the entire ecosystem. At present, the development of the blockchain industry is in a very early stage. In addition to the relatively mature decentralized governance of BTC, in the governance of public chains such as ETH and EOS, the founder development team plays a very core role and is the "rules" of the public chain. "Maker", although the entire ecosystem has achieved partial decentralization, the founders still play a pivotal role in the direction of strategic development. Therefore, the author believes that the decentralization of blockchain can only be an ultimate goal that is constantly approaching. From the birth of the project to its maturity, its degree of decentralization should continue to increase, as shown in the figure below. In the early stages of project development, the founder and his development team play an absolute guiding role in the entire ecosystem. As the project ecosystem matures and the number of participants continues to increase, the original development team should gradually weaken its guiding role. The entire network maintenance needs to be decided jointly by all developers and users in the ecosystem. As for the final network problems, they can only be borne by all participants.

Figure: Schematic diagram of the relationship between the degree of centralization and development stages of blockchain projects

2.3. Are smart contracts really smart?

The second reason why smart contracts are not yet that smart is that their entries can be manipulated by evil actors, such as contracting parties or miners who add transaction records to the blockchain's ledger of past transactions. One study showed that 3.4% of ETH smart contracts are vulnerable to hackers.

Smart contracts can indeed optimize many intermediate programs, but judging from current industry practice, they are far from being called smart. A qualified smart contract should include all possible scenarios. Because the core essence of smart contracts is "to make the most just ruling even in the darkest environment."

The difference between Ethereum and Bitcoin is that Ethereum isTuring-complete, more types of contracts with more complex terms can be implemented through this platform. Of course, the cost of this is that the complex contract content makes it more difficult to analyze. Typically, complexity is directly proportional to the probability of a vulnerability; the higher the complexity, the greater the probability of a vulnerability.

As for the concept "code is law" proposed by Ethereum, however, the code has attracted hacker attacks due to its own vulnerabilities, so it is not enough to form the authority of "law". Therefore, it needs the trust and endorsement of the government, lawyers, courts and other intermediary institutions. Compared with coordination, the current contract seems too rough.

2.4. Is there identity theft on the blockchain?

3% of social media accounts are fake, so can fake accounts be created on the blockchain? Can identities on the blockchain be stolen?

Blockchain can create a personal database for users whose data cannot be tampered with, but how to meet the user's "tampering" needs? This may be a paradox in the development of blockchain technology. Regarding user needs, we may need to start from the perspective of on-chain standards and authority management.

2.5. Can blockchains be connected to each other?

One blockchain records the data of an entity or user in one way, while another blockchain records the same data of the same entity or user in another way. In a fragmented system, multiple account books are not connected to each other, which will form a world of "operational islands", or "data islands". Users need to register for multiple systems at the same time to conduct transactions with different people for different purposes.

In view of the value transfer needs of different chains, cross-chain technology is the key, which can effectively connect different alliance chains or private chains, and promote the outward expansion and connection of blockchains. The current mainstream cross-chain technologies include Notary schemes, Sidechains/relays, Hash-locking, Distributed private key control, etc.

2.6． How does the blockchain connect to off-chain databases?

If one party's data and documents are off-chain, and the other party's data and documents are on-chain, can the two parties interact? In the company's database, can half of the company's data on the blockchain interact with the other half of the data?

These challenges are well known and are being addressed. For example, the same queries and analysis can be run in on-chain and off-chain databases. The risk is that data brought from on-chain to off-chain is no longer immutable, and researchers recognize that data security and aggregating, transforming and optimizing on-chain and off-chain data sets are significant challenges.

2.7． Can blockchain facilitate money laundering?

Money laundering is a huge global problem, amounting to 1-2 trillion US dollars, accounting for approximately 2% - 5% of the total global GDP. Banks and authorities are fighting back, spending about $8 billion a year to combat corruption. Banks around the world require KYC verification.

Due to the anonymous nature of the blockchain, especially the emergence of anonymous coins, BTC has been criticized by many people as a tool for money laundering. However, the anonymity of BTC is only anonymity on the chain. The interaction between people and the chain, and the interaction between BTC and legal currency will leave traces, and it is not as "lawless" as many media have promoted. Each BTC transaction requires the transfer of a corresponding address, and the transaction records of the address can be queried. In addition, the exchange of BTC and legal currency is conducted off-chain and cannot escape supervision. If the actual identity of any party in the transaction is exposed, then all parties involved in the transaction will have difficulty escaping recourse.

2.8. Will the blockchain consume all the energy in the world?

BTC has an amazing energy demand. Operating Bitcoin for one year requires the energy consumption of Ireland for one year. Because BTC’s POW consensus mechanism requires miners to mine for transaction verification. There are concerns that as the network increases and the value of BTC rises, energy demand will grow rapidly. In fact, miners themselves have incentives to prevent this from happening, and the scalability of the blockchain is limited by availability, energy costs, and the miners' own financial resources. The current alternative is the POS consensus mechanism. The POS mechanism selects validators based on the number of currency holders.

In fact, it can be seen that except for the early batch of cryptocurrencies headed by BTC, the vast majority of current blockchain projects have taken into account the disadvantages of POW and are constantly innovating consensus mechanisms to avoid excessive consumption of energy. Therefore, blockchain is not enough to cause such a huge consumption of energy.

2.9. Will blockchain take our jobs?

Regarding blockchain, if people can trade directly with each other, what impact will blockchain have on intermediaries such as banks and lawyers? Blockchain is unlikely to be a job killer; it will, like any technology, change the nature of work by changing companies’ business and revenue models.

When artificial intelligence becomes popular, people will continue to ask questions like this. On the one hand, we enjoy the convenience that technology brings to us, but on the other hand, we are worried that technology will replace us. The biggest challenge of blockchain is not the technology itself, but changing the traditional profit distribution model. Blockchain technology can remove certain intermediary links, break the monopoly of many resources by centralized institutions, and thus change the interest pattern. This is also the most revolutionary point of blockchain.

2.10. Is the United States lagging behind in the development of the blockchain industry?

Globally, the blockchain industry in the United States is still in its infancy. Deloitte surveyed 1,053 executives in financial services, healthcare, technology industries, telecommunications, manufacturing and other industries in 2018. According to the survey, only 14% of American respondents believe that blockchain is used in their production, compared with 49% in China, 48% in Mexico, 40% in the United Kingdom, and 36% in Canada. Plans are also lagging: 41% of U.S. companies plan to invest $1 million or more in blockchain, compared with 85% in China, 74% in Canada, 72% in the United Kingdom, and 65% in Mexico.

Based on Silicon Valley insightsJudging from the "White Paper on the Development of Blockchain in China and the United States" published by the China Securities Regulatory Commission, in terms of the number of ICOs, North America is comparable to Asia. In terms of the amount of financing, North America is far ahead with 7.85 billion. Therefore, the United States, as a major country in North America, is not lagging behind at all. On the contrary, it is still leading in many aspects.

《Harnessing Blockchain for American Business and Prosperity》

http://forex.hexun.com/2018-06-17/193222543.html

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Introduction to Tianjige: Tianjige (LD Research) was established on July 2, 2018. It is a company dedicated to exploring the unknown of science and technology, taking human development as the driving force, and taking "BASE Research for Solving Real" Problems" as the purpose of the research institute.

This article comes from Babbitt

Related questions and answers: What are the uses of blockchain technology in the business field?

What are the uses of blockchain technology in the business field?

In recent years, due to the virtual digital With currency speculation booming, blockchain, as its underlying technology, has also begun to receive widespread attention. Blockchain has the characteristics of decentralization, trustlessness, collective maintenance, and reliable storage. It is currently widely used in the field of virtual currency.

Since the birth of Bitcoin, more than 1,600 virtual currencies have appeared in the world, and a huge industrial chain ecosystem has been formed around the generation, storage, and trading of virtual currencies. But overall, the industry is still in its infancy and is still far away from the real value use area. The core of the blockchain economy lies in the reconstruction of business logic and organizational forms, so it is necessary to obtain practical examples in multiple industries to demonstrate its value. This article will explore the business models used by blockchain in various industries from the perspective of combining blockchain with industry needs.

First of all, the core of blockchain is to solve the problem of credit:

Credit is the foundation of all commercial activities and finance. The United States has implemented trusted identification since 2011, while China has implemented a real-name system to achieve supervised information dissemination. The significance of blockchain is that it has established decentralized trust from a technical level for the first time and realized a completely distributed credit system.

Secondly, blockchain solves the problem of value exchange:

Traditional networks can achieve point-to-point transmission of information, but cannot achieve point-to-point transmission of value. Because information is allowed to be copied, and value must be authentic and unique, it is necessary to rely on a centralized organization to achieve value transfer. Blockchain perfectly solves this problem and provides a method to realize point-to-point transfer of value. During the value transfer process, accounting is realized by the network without relying on a centralized institution. Therefore, blockchain is expected to become the basis for building a new type of finance.Infrastructure has become the cornerstone of the future value Internet.

The use of blockchain

There are currently two main modes of blockchain use:

1) Native blockchain use: directly based on decentralized blockchain technology to realize value Transmission and transaction use, such as digital currency;

2) "Blockchain +" model: combine traditional scenarios with the underlying protocol of the blockchain to improve efficiency and reduce costs. It is expected that the use of blockchain in various industries will be dominated by the second model.

Blockchain has five core attributes, namely: transaction attributes (value attributes), certificate attributes, trust attributes, intelligence attributes, and traceability attributes. The above core attributes are combined with the needs of the industry to solve the industry's pain points and become the business model used by blockchain in various industries.

Blockchain + Bank

1. Cross-border payment

Cross-border payment is a pain point that has long plagued the banking industry. Traditional cross-border payment methods include two major categories: one is online payment, including electronic account payment and international credit card payment, which is suitable for retail small amounts; the other is the bank remittance model, which is suitable for large-amount transactions; both have payment cycles Long, high fees, low transaction transparency and other issues. Especially with the rise of cross-border e-commerce in recent years, convenient, fast, safe and low-cost cross-border payment has become an urgent need for the industry.

The role of blockchain:

The characteristics of blockchain are deintermediation and open and transparent transactions. There is no third-party payment institution to join, which shortens the payment cycle, reduces fees, and increases transaction transparency. For example, in December 2017, China Merchants Bank teamed up with Wing Lung Bank and Wing Lung Shenzhen Branch to successfully implement cross-border RMB remittances between the three parties using blockchain technology. Its clearing process is safe, efficient and fast, greatly improving customer experience.

2. Supply chain finance

The pain points in this field are the long financing cycle and high costs. Centered on the core enterprise system of the supply chain, it is difficult for third-party credit enhancement institutions to authenticate the authenticity of various relevant vouchers in the supply chain, resulting in long manual review times and high financing costs.

The role of blockchain:

Blockchain introduces consensus mechanism, existence proof, non-tampering, traceability and other characteristics into supply chain finance, and does not require third-party credit enhancement agencies to authenticate various relevant credentials in the supply chain. authenticity, thereby reducing financing costs and shortening the financing cycle. For example, in April 2017, the listed company Yijian and IBM China Research jointly launched the blockchain supply chain financial service system "Yijian Block". The system focuses on pharmaceutical scenarios and currently has more than 30 pharmaceutical distribution companies. Successfully registered in the "Yijian Block", as of the end of July, the number of transactions had been close to 8,000, and the total investment amount exceeded 100 million yuan.

3. Digital Bills

The pain point of the digital bill industry lies in the long-term problems of "false bills" and "one vote selling many", which have brought risks to the bill financing business of the banking industry.

The role of blockchain:

The existence proof and non-tampering characteristics of blockchain effectively solve the problem of false digital bills; at the same time, blockchain solves the double-spending problem and can avoid "t; One ticket sells many. For example, Shenzhen Blockchain Financial Services Co., Ltd. issues ticket chain products to provide ticket financing services based on blockchain to solve the ticket financing needs of small, medium and micro enterprises. Cooperative banks include Ganzhou Bank and Guiyang Bank , Suzhou Bank, Shizuishan Bank, Langfang Bank, Wuhai Bank, Jilin Jiutai Rural Commercial Bank, Yaodu Rural Commercial Bank, Shenzhen Rural Industrial Bank, Weifang Bank, Zhongyuan Bank, etc. In addition, Zheshang Bank, Jingdong Finance, Hang Seng Electronics , HNA, etc. are also verifying blockchain digital bill services.

Blockchain + Securities

1. Asset Securitization

Asset securitization uses future income as a guarantee to obtain current financing. The The pain points in the field are: there are many participating entities, many operating links, low transaction transparency, information asymmetry, and the authenticity of the underlying assets cannot be guaranteed.

The role of blockchain:

Blockchain introduces existence to asset securitization With attributes such as proof of authenticity, non-tamperability, and consensus mechanism, it can monitor the true status of assets in real time and solve the problem of trust in underlying assets by all parties in the transaction chain. Various assets such as equity, bonds, bills, income certificates, warehouse receipts, etc. It can be integrated into the blockchain and become a digital asset on the chain, improving the efficiency of asset circulation and reducing costs. For example, in May 2017, Internet Finance and partners including Baiqian Leasing, Huaneng Trust, etc. jointly issued a blockchain The asset securitization ABS project supported by technology has an issuance scale of 424 million yuan.

Blockchain + Insurance

1. Insurance business

There is information asymmetry in the insurance industry and a lack of trust between customers and insurance institutions Problems such as: It is difficult for users to choose insurance products that suit them, and insurance institutions face the risk of insurance fraud.

The role of blockchain:

The decentralization, openness, transparency, and traceability of blockchain, Establish a good communication channel between insurance institutions and users; insurance subject information is managed uniformly on the blockchain and cannot be tampered with, helping insurance institutions avoid the risk of fraudulent insurance; at the same time, smart contracts can improve work efficiency and reduce costs. For example, France Insurance giant AXA is using the Ethereum public blockchain to provide automatic flight delay compensation for air passengers. If the flight is delayed for more than 2 hours, the "smart contract" insurance product will automatically pay the claim to the passenger.

2 , Credit information management

The pain point in this field is that credit information agencies have limited data collection channels and a lack of data sharing, making it difficult to accurately characterize the credit status of individuals or institutions; in addition, there are also issues about how to protect user privacy during the data collection process. .

The role of blockchain:

Blockchain has the characteristics of trustlessness, consensus, and non-tampering. At the technical level, it ensures that limited and controllable credit data can be achieved on the basis of effectively protecting user privacy. Sharing and verification. For example, Ping An’s blockchain credit reporting business is now online. In addition, domestic startups such as Shanghai Juzhen, LinkEye, Bubi Blockchain, etc. are also conducting joint credit reporting and safe certificate deposits. Exploration.

As a basic technology, blockchain has distributedIt has great use value in industries that require automatic processing, point-to-point transactions, and rapid establishment of trust relationships. Its core is to solve the problem of credit and realize point-to-point transfer of value. Therefore, it is considered to be the cornerstone of the future value Internet.

The core of the blockchain business model is to use the innovative attributes introduced by the blockchain and combine it with traditional industry uses to realize the reconstruction of business logic in order to create new usage scenarios, or improve efficiency and reduce costs.

It is expected that the use of blockchain will first start in the pan-financial field that has high requirements for credit, efficiency, and security: the financial industry pays more attention to efficiency and security, and blockchain has a high degree of matching with its pain points, and can be used for Systematically solve trust issues, efficiency issues, default risks, etc. that exist in all aspects of financial services; blockchain’s attributes such as “transaction, certificate storage, and traceability” are more likely to generate value in the financial industry. At the same time, the market space in the financial industry is huge, and small progress can bring huge benefits.

Blockchain will also extend to all areas of social life: Blockchain solves problems such as the management, transaction, and transfer of digital assets, and therefore will play an important role in the wave of asset digitization, such as supply chain management, data Applications such as services, asset management, public services, and the Internet of Things are gradually being implemented in various fields, and "blockchain+" is becoming a reality.

『Lu』 What is blockchain

Let’s talk about some basic concepts first.

The network said that blockchain is a new usage model of computer technologies such as distributed data storage, point-to-point transmission, consensus mechanisms, and encryption algorithms. It is essentially a decentralized database, and as the underlying technology of Bitcoin, it is a series of data blocks generated by cryptography.

We try to translate "what is blockchain" into "human language".

The definition refers to the "decentralized database" nature of blockchain3354. This is very different from the traditional "centralized database" in storage, update and operation.

A centralized database can be thought of as having this shape:

For example, if I want to use Alipay to pay a Taobao seller, all data requests from when I make money to when he receives the money will be centrally processed by Alipay. The advantage of this data structure is that as long as Alipay is responsible for the efficient and safe operation of the system, others can unconditionally believe it without worrying; the disadvantage is that if there is a problem with Alipay, such as being hacked, the server being burned, a traitor appearing, and the company running away (Of course, the possibility of the above is extremely low), the balance details and other information in our Alipay will be confused.

Then some people think that this kind of low-probability event can use any technical means to avoid individual risks, and not only hand over the data to a centralized organization. For example, everyone can store and process data.

The database structure may look like this:

This picture is a schematic structural diagram of a "distributed database". Each point is a server, they all have equal rights to record and calculate data, and information is spread point-to-point. At first glance, it seems that it can indeed resist the risk caused by the crash of a certain node, but it is also very confusing and inefficient intuitively. Who will handle my information and who will tell me the results?Calculate?

At this time, the "consensus mechanism" in the definition of blockchain comes into play. The consensus mechanism mainly "stipulates" the following things: who will process a data request (what qualifications are required); who will verify the results (to see if he has handled it well); how to prevent processors and verifiers from colluding with each other, etc.

Some people may like to be questioned when a "rule" is made. In order to form a stronger consensus, in addition to making the rules more reasonable, they must also be more attractive so that people are interested and motivated to participate in data processing. This involves the incentive mechanism of the public chain. We will start again later when we discuss the classification of blockchain and the role of digital currencies.

When we hand over a transaction to a distributed network, there is also a "psychological threshold": there are so many nodes that can process information, and I don't know any of them (unlike Alipay, if it hurts me, I can go and file a lawsuit against it). They all have my data, why should I trust them?

At this time, encryption algorithm (the last descriptive word in the definition of blockchain) comes on stage.

In the blockchain network, the data requests we send will be encrypted according to cryptographic principles into a string of characters that the recipient cannot understand at all. Behind this encryption method is the support of a hash algorithm.

Hash algorithms can quickly convert any type of data into hash values. This change is one-way irreversible, deterministic, random, and anti-collision. Because of these characteristics, the person handling my data request could record the information for me, but they had no idea who I was or what I was doing.

So far, the working principle of the decentralized network has been introduced. But we seem to have overlooked one detail. The previous diagram is a net. Where are the pulleys and chains? Why do we call it blockchain?

To understand this matter, we need to clarify a few knowledge points first:

The previous picture is actually a "macro" database perspective, showing the basic rules and processes of the blockchain system for processing information. . And specifically at the "micro" data log level, we will find that the ledger is packaged, compressed, stored in blocks, and strung together in chronological order to form a "chain structure", like this:

Figure Each ring in can be regarded as a building block, and many links are linked together to form a blockchain. Blocks store data, unlike ordinary data storage: on a blockchain, the data in a later block contains the data in the previous block.

In order to academically explain the fields of each part of the data in the block, we tried to use a book metaphor to describe what a blockchain data structure is.

Usually, when we read a book, we read the first page, then the second and third pages. The spine is a physical existence that fixes the order of each page. Even if the book is scattered, the order of each numbered page can be determined.

Inside the blockchain, each block is labeled with a page number, the second page contains the first page's content, the third page's content contains the first and second page's content. The tenth page contains the previous Nine pages of content.

It is such a nested chain that can be traced back to the most trousersDig the raw data.

This brings up an important attribute of blockchain: traceability.

When the data in the blockchain needs to be updated, that is when new blocks are generated in sequence, the "consensus algorithm" comes into play again. This algorithm stipulates that a new block can only be formed if it is recognized by more than 51% of the nodes in the entire network. To put it bluntly, it is a matter of voting, and it can be elected if more than half of the people agree. This makes the data on the blockchain difficult to tamper with. If I were to force a change, there would be too many people to bribe and the cost would be too high to be worth it.

This is what people often call the "non-tamperable" feature of blockchain.

Another reason why blockchain gives people a sense of trust is because of "smart contracts."

Smart contracts are commitment agreements defined and automatically executed by computer programs. It is a set of transaction rules executed by code, similar to the current automatic repayment function of credit cards. If you turn on this function, you don’t have to worry about anything. The bank will automatically deduct the money you owe when it is due.

When your friend borrows money from you but doesn't remember to pay it back, or makes excuses not to pay it back, smart contracts can prevent breach of contract. Once the terms in the contract are triggered, such as when it is time to repay the money, or there is a limit in his account, the code will automatically execute, and the money he owes you will be automatically transferred back whether he wants it or not.

Let’s briefly summarize. Blockchain technology is mainly decentralized, difficult to tamper with, and traceable, which represents more security and trustlessness. But it also brings new problems: redundancy and inefficiency, which requires many nodes to agree with the rules and actively participate.

This concludes the "drying" section. Next, let’s talk about unofficial history and the official history of blockchain.

A new technology is often used to serve a certain task.

Or goals. So where was blockchain first used, and who came up with it first?

Let's go back to 2008.

On September 21, Wall Street investment banks collapsed one after another, and the Federal Reserve announced that it would convert the only two remaining investment banks (Goldman Sachs Group and Morgan Stanley) into commercial banks; it hoped to survive the financial crisis by absorbing savings. On October 3, the Bush administration signed a $700 billion financial rescue package.

Twenty-eight days later, on November 1, 2008, a new post appeared in a cryptography mailing group: "I am developing a new electronic currency system that is completely peer-to-peer and does not require a third party. Three-party trust institution." The text of the post is a paper titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System", signed by Satoshi Nakamoto.

The paper explains the design of this peer-to-peer electronic cash system with a more rigorous logic. It first discusses the problem that financial institutions are subject to "trust based" (based on credit), and then explains step by step how to achieve "no third-party agency" , and cleverly solved the technical problems left by the predecessors.

Two months later, Satoshi Nakamoto released the first version of the open source Bitcoin client and mined 50 coins for the first timeBitcoin. The block that generated the first batch of Bitcoins is called the "Genesis block". The genesis block was compiled into block 0 and was not uploaded to the chain. It took Satoshi Nakamoto 6 days to mine this block. This also sparked discussion in the bitcointalk forum. Bitcoin "believers" thought of the Bible, "God created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then rested on the seventh day."

Although concepts such as decentralized, token, and economy did not appear in the paper, Satoshi Nakamoto explained in detail the role of blocks and chains in the network. working principle. So, there is Block Chain.

This paper later became the "Bible" of the "Bit Cult", technology became the cornerstone of faith, and developer documentation became the "Code of Hammurabi".

After that, Bitcoin realized the first real-life payment by exchanging pizza, WikiLeaks, whose account was blocked by the US government, miraculously survived by relying on Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto's "decentralization" and retirement, and the appearance of the real and the fake A series of legends such as and refutation of rumors, combined with the expectations, imagination and speculation of later generations, became "Bible stories".

There are also people who are not satisfied with the world described in the "Old Testament" and start new sects, write the doctrines into white papers, and tell the story of their faith in the ten years after Bitcoin. Just like the writing of the 66 books of the Bible spanned 1,500 years, and after 2,000 years of interpretation, Christianity has divided into 33,000 branches.

CoinMarketCap shows that there are more than 4,900 types of digital currencies, and the overall digital currency market size is nearly 140 million yuan. Bitcoin still leads the entire digital currency market with a market share of 66%, and the recent price has been hovering around US$7,200 per coin.

So many currencies have different functions and are divided into different categories: digital currencies represented by Bitcoin are positioned as "digital gold" and have certain value storage and hedging characteristics; Ethereum The digital currency represented by Bitcoin has become the "operational fuel" in its network system; the stable currency represented by USDT and Libra has good payment properties due to its low volatility; the digital currency issued by the central bank represented by DCEP will definitely To a certain extent, it replaces M0, allowing commercial institutions and ordinary people to receive and pay without delay when they are out of cash and disconnected from the Internet.

It can be seen that after 10 years of development of blockchain technology, the first and largest application is digital currency.

Digital currency has also become an attractive reward for participants to maintain the public chain.

So besides digital currency, where else can blockchain technology be used?

Let us recall what the essence of blockchain is—a decentralized database, and its corresponding characteristics: traceability, publicity, anonymity, and tamper-proofing. In theory, you can try to use blockchain to transform traditional scenarios that use centralized databases to see if they are suitable.

Now, let’s talk about a few industries and fields that have successfully implemented blockchain.Jing:

Blockchain can prove the existence of a file or digital content at a specific time through hash timestamp, providing a perfect solution for forensic authentication, identity certification, property rights protection, anti-counterfeiting and traceability, etc.

In anti-counterfeiting In the field of traceability, blockchain technology can be widely used in various fields such as food and medicine, agricultural products, alcohol, and luxury goods through supply chain tracking.

Give two examples.

Blockchain can allow government data to be run, greatly streamlining service processes

The distributed technology of blockchain can allow government departments to be centralized on one chain, and all service processes are delivered to smart contracts, and the workers only need to be in one department Through identity authentication and electronic signature, smart contracts can be automatically processed and transferred, and all subsequent approvals and signatures can be completed in sequence.

Blockchain invoices are the earliest use of blockchain technology in China. The tax department launched the "Tax Chain" platform for blockchain electronic invoices. The tax department, the issuer, and the payee join the "Tax Chain" network through unique digital identities, truly realizing "instant invoicing for transactions" and "instant reimbursement after invoicing" - in seconds Level invoicing and minute-level reimbursement accounting significantly reduce tax collection and management costs, and effectively solve problems such as data tampering, over-reporting of one ticket, and tax evasion.

Poverty alleviation is another practical application of blockchain technology. Utilize the characteristics of openness, transparency, traceability, and non-tampering of blockchain technology to achieve transparent use, precise investment, and efficient management of poverty alleviation funds.

Give two examples as well.

The eID network identity operation agency guided by the Third Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security is jointly developing a "digital identity chain" with Gongyilian, which will be issued to Chinese citizens based on the citizen's identity number as the root and cryptographic algorithm. Since it was put into operation, the eID digital identity system has served the full life cycle management of 100 million eIDs, effectively alleviating the problems of personal identity information being fraudulently used, abused and privacy leaked.

Odaily Planet Daily compiled 5 identity chain projects registered with the Cyberspace Administration of China

Blockchain technology naturally has financial attributes

In terms of payment and settlement, under the blockchain distributed ledger system, there are many markets Participants jointly maintain and synchronize a "general ledger" in real time. In just a few minutes, they can complete payment, clearing, and settlement tasks that currently take two or three days to complete, reducing the complexity and cost of cross-bank and cross-border transactions. At the same time, the underlying encryption technology of the blockchain ensures that participants cannot tamper with the ledger, ensuring that transaction records are transparent and safe. Regulators can easily track transactions on the chain and quickly locate high-risk capital flows.

In terms of securities issuance transactions, the traditional stock issuance process is long, costly and complicated. Blockchain technology can weaken the role of underwriting institutions and help all parties establish a fast and accurate information exchange and sharing channel. The issuer can handle the issuance on its own through smart contracts. , regulatory authorities conduct unified review and verification, and investors can also bypass intermediaries for direct operations.

In terms of digital bills and supply chain finance, blockchain technology can effectively solve the financing difficulties of small and medium-sized enterprises. The current supply chain finance is difficult to benefit small and medium-sized enterprises in the upper reaches of the industrial chain, because they often have no direct trade relations with core enterprises, and financial institutionsIt is difficult for institutions to assess their credit qualifications. Based on blockchain technology, we can establish a consortium chain network covering core enterprises, upstream and downstream suppliers, financial institutions, etc. The core enterprises issue accounts receivable vouchers to their suppliers. After the bills are digitized and uploaded to the chain, they can be uploaded to the supplier Transfer between them, each level of supplier can realize the corresponding amount of financing with the digital bill certificate.

Give me an example.

The China Enterprise Cloud Chain, jointly launched by ICBC, Postal Savings Bank of China, 11 central enterprises, etc., has covered 48,000 companies since its establishment in 2017, with the amount of rights confirmed on the chain reaching 100 billion yuan, and factoring financing of 57 billion yuan. , cumulative transactions reached 300 billion yuan. After receiving the loan application, financial institutions can verify the authenticity of the contract on the chain and whether the contract has been verified multiple times (multiple loans); the smart contract automatically clears and settles, reducing costs and increasing efficiency; at the same time, the accounts payable of core enterprises can have The corresponding vouchers will be split by the first-level suppliers and handed over to the second- and third-level suppliers in the chain to help them with financing; core enterprises can also use this to understand whether the entire chain is operating normally and avoid emergencies. Redemption pressure.

Blockchain technology will greatly optimize the existing use of big data and play a huge role in data circulation and sharing

The aforementioned areas are areas that we are relatively familiar with. As more new technologies develop, blockchain may be able to be combined with them and play a role in unexpected cross-fields and new scenarios that are currently unforeseen.

In the future, the Internet, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things will generate massive amounts of data. The existing centralized data storage (computing model) will face huge challenges. Edge storage (computing) based on blockchain technology is expected to become a future solution. Furthermore, the non-tampering and traceability mechanism of blockchain ensures the authenticity and high quality of data, which becomes the basis for the use of all data such as big data, deep learning, and artificial intelligence.

Finally, blockchain can realize multi-party collaborative data calculations while protecting data privacy, and is expected to solve the problems of "data monopoly" and "data islands" and realize the value of data circulation.

In response to the current blockchain development stage, in order to meet the blockchain development and use needs of general business users, many traditional cloud service providers have begun to deploy their own BaaS ("Blockchain as a Service") solutions. The combination of blockchain and cloud computing will effectively reduce enterprise blockchain deployment costs and promote the implementation of blockchain usage scenarios. In the future, blockchain technology will also play an important role in many fields such as charity, insurance, energy, logistics, and the Internet of Things.

During this trial process from traditional technology to blockchain, we found that when certain scenarios have stronger demands for traceability, tamper-proofing, and decentralization, they also have problems with the weaknesses of blockchain (such as performance). , the requirements are not high, and this field is quite suitable for combining blockchain.

At the same time, in the process of blockchain evolution, it has also developed from a highly decentralized public chain accessible to everyone to a consortium chain with different permissions and maintained by multiple centers. Balances the advantages and disadvantages of the two systems.

Typical cases of alliance chains include: FIS jointly developed by WeBank and the Golden Alliance Open Source Working GroupCO BCOS, Fabric mainly contributed by IBM, and Ant Alliance Chain led by Ant Blockchain, etc.

These trustless systems represent more secure data authentication and storage mechanisms, where data is effectively authenticated and protected. Businesses or individuals can exchange or enter into contracts digitally, where these contracts are embedded in code and stored in transparent, shared databases where they cannot be deleted, tampered with, or revised.

It is boldly predicted that in the future, contracts, audits, tasks, and payments will all be digitized with unique and secure signatures. Digital signatures will be permanently identified, authenticated, legalized, and stored, and cannot be tampered with. There is no need for an intermediary to guarantee each of your transactions. You can conduct transactions without knowing the basic information of the other party. While improving information security, it effectively reduces transaction costs and improves transaction efficiency.

Generally speaking, there has been a lot of progress in the implementation of blockchain compared to two years ago.

Many improvements are at the bottom of the system, and users cannot directly see that blockchain is used, but they have actually benefited from it; some applications are still in pilot mode, and users have not yet been able to experience it. In the future, blockchain is expected to be used on a large scale and become one of the Internet infrastructure.

I hope that after reading this, you have a general understanding of what blockchain is and what blockchain can do.

Related Q&A: What is blockchain

Blockchain is actually equivalent to a disintermediated database, which is composed of a series of data blocks. Each of its data blocks contains information about a Bitcoin network transaction, which is used to verify the validity of the information and generate the next block.

In a narrow sense, blockchain is a chain data structure that combines data blocks in a sequential manner in chronological order, and is cryptographically guaranteed to be non-tamperable and non-forgeable. distributed ledger.

In a broad sense, blockchain is actually a distributed infrastructure and computing method, which is used to ensure the security of data transmission and access.

Blockchain infrastructure:

Blockchain is composed of six infrastructures: data layer, network layer, consensus layer, incentive layer, contract layer and usage layer.

『撒』 The decentralized nature of blockchain digital currency

For blockchain practitioners, if there is any word that has been heard in the past two years, it is Then "decentralization" can definitely occupy a place in this. From being confused when I first came into contact with it, to being a mantra on my lips all the time now, the word "decentralization" went from being in the spotlight in 2018 to sweeping the world today, and it only took a year to fully calculate it. Much time. So far, the "decentralization" of various behaviors has become a political correctness in the blockchain industry.

Practitioners hate the cloud platforms of Internet giants because it makes data storage not decentralized enough; they hate the emergence of monopoly giants in the industry because it makes the industry structure not decentralized enough; they also hate it.Establish a leader with one voice, because this makes the decision-making mechanism not decentralized enough, and you may even hate working in one office, because it makes people's activities not decentralized enough... It makes the words and deeds of many practitioners now slightly "centralized" "If you don't understand something, you will look forward and backward with trepidation, for fear of being criticized by the outside world.

So, what exactly is “decentralization”? What is its essence?

The sinking of power: the true essence of decentralization

In fact, regarding the matter of decentralization, the author has already stated in ["Prospects of Blockchain 3.0: Are decentralized communities useless or the future? "It was once stated in the article: Decentralization is not a trend that people subjectively promote, nor is it a false proposition wantonly advocated by blockchain practitioners, but an objective and inevitable result of economic and technological development. In other words In other words, the decentralization trend of society is the result of everyone voting with their feet under the current situation, and it is not based on people's subjective will.

If you don’t believe it, let’s look back at the technological products before the blockchain industry exploded - the abundance of civilian cars has enabled more and more people to participate in what used to be only passenger transport and transportation. Among the passenger transportation services that taxi companies can only engage in, the decentralization of driving services has been achieved; a smartphone in everyone’s hand has given everyone the opportunity to record the world around them with a lens, thus achieving the decentralization of photography and video rights. ization; the Internet that extends in all directions allows every individual to have the opportunity to express his or her own voice, thereby decentralizing the right to speak; and the popularity of e-commerce platforms allows those who have the ability and intention to open a store. Opportunities to run your own business, thereby realizing the decentralization of the right to open a store...

From the above cases, it is not difficult to see that as early as with the help of the last bull market and Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin Before the currency white paper became famous, the phenomenon of “decentralization” was already everywhere. Why is there such a situation?

Regarding this point, the author has mentioned it briefly in ["Blockchain: The Last Internet Celebrity in the Digital World"]: For individuals, digital technology and the digital economy have brought them There are two biggest benefits: First, some of the costs that hindered their actions in the past are concentrated on centralized giants. For example, time-sharing leasing in the sharing economy can eliminate the need for many people to carry various necessary items; second, it will Various rights and interests are sunk and dispersed into the hands of individuals, such as the passenger rights of car owners mentioned above, the photography rights of smartphone holders, the voice of Internet users, and the rights of goods and service providers. The right to open a store...

In other words, no matter what kind of decentralization it is, its essence actually refers to the sinking of various powers from top-level centralized institutions to grassroots individuals. , as long as economic and technological development continues to benefit everyoneFor groups or individuals with a smaller granularity, this sinking trend will not stop. The "decentralization" advocated by the blockchain is actually just one of the countless decentralized powers in this technological wave - that is, the right to mint money (or the right to record information). In other words, Blockchain digital currency, including Bitcoin, is not the first decentralized product, and it will definitely not be the last decentralized product.

The boundaries of freedom: any decentralization has limits**

However, we should also pay attention to one thing: although in theory, "decentralization" The ultimate goal is to sink power into everyone's hands, but in reality, since the proper use of any power is inseparable from the user's good professionalism and moral standards, from a longitudinal perspective, the power of these powers There is a bottom line for many sinking rates. From a horizontal perspective, the degree of decentralization is limited (that is, what many people often call "polycentering").

If certain powers are allowed to continue to sink vertically, that is, the industry continues to be decentralized from the front, it is likely to lead to certain uncontrollable situations, such as the well-known Passenger transportation rights (that is, online ride-hailing), this kind of power to provide passenger transportation services can only sink to the level of car owners with driver's licenses and good conduct. If this bottom line is exceeded and continues to sink, various online ride-hailing services last year The chances of violence will skyrocket.

By the way, as the saying goes, every industry is like a mountain. Since different industries have different requirements for the professionalism of power users, the maximum sinking degree of different powers is often different, and what they can tolerate The degree of decentralization also varies. For example, regarding the sinking of photography rights, since a single video itself generally does not have a great negative impact on society, even if it is not professional enough and it is shot randomly, it may be understandable. Therefore, as long as no darknet-style works are produced, let There is often no problem with this kind of power sinking into everyone's hands.

But if things like blockchain minting rights fall into the hands of those who are not objectively competent enough or subjectively irresponsible, the digital currency market will see a big problem. There are a lot of money-making and deceiving projects. Under such circumstances, the minting power can only be transferred to those individuals or teams that are professional, marketing and ethical at most (that is, the author previously mentioned in ["Practical, Positive and Kind: One of the Most Suitable Blockchains for Ordinary People"] The three elements mentioned in the article "Road"), otherwise, the grand scene of "the city is full of air coins" in 2017 and 2018 will soon reappear in our world.

However, it is a pity that many people do not have an objective and correct understanding of "decentralization has limits". In reality, they love to go to extremes. They are new to blockchain and digitalWhen it comes to currency, they believe that the astonishing price increase of this new thing comes largely from the distributed minting rights. Therefore, whenever there is any regulatory disturbance, they will shout slogans of ideals and freedom with great resistance, as if everyone is ignorant. Governmentalists; as a result, after the collapse of air coins and altcoins, and their own interests were harmed, they threw down the flag of decentralization that they had previously waved, and cried everywhere why the Lord Qingtian didn't care about this lawless and barbaric land.

The swing between the two poles gives people a sense of confusion. The reason for this situation is ultimately because they do not realize: decentralization, that is, the sinking of various powers, It has limits, especially for the highly professional blockchain minting rights. The "everyone can mint money and print money" imagined by some people before can only be an ideal. If you are not aware of this objective fact, it is very likely that a funny situation will arise where "the front foot loves freedom and the back foot advocates authority."

Nonetheless, even if power cannot be decentralized without limit and decentralization cannot be too distributed, it does not mean that related initiatives are meaningless. The decentralization of minting power represented by Bitcoin and blockchain may be difficult to completely sink into the hands of every individual as Satoshi Nakamoto envisioned, but it has combined the word "decentralization" and related The concept of freedom is rooted in the hearts of countless investors and practitioners. Let them have a clearer understanding of the issue of "whose hands should hold various powers in the future?"

Although many people’s current accusations against centralized institutions are not entirely true, such as the accusation that one mining machine manufacturer is the dominant one; and some current “forced decentralization” behaviors are not entirely valid. Not particularly successful, just like Bitmain’s dual-CEO structure. But from a long-term perspective, these immature words and deeds are just a small wave at the beginning of the development of social decentralization. Just as once the floodgates are opened, the water flow cannot be stopped; when the concept of "decentralization" is rooted in people's hearts, the equal rights movement in various vertical fields is inevitable. The key is that power will sink from the original centralized institutions. The question is which level to go to.

From this point of view, decentralization has become an unstoppable torrent of social development, and the large amount of social resources we have seen in the past ten years have been redistributed to a large extent. It is also the result of this decentralization of power. Under such circumstances, people, including some blockchain practitioners, began to pursue the victory and targeted another "Chinese-prefixed" target - that is, intermediaries. However, "decentralization" is equal to "decentralization". Intermediation”? Is the latter, like the former, an irreversible trend? The author will introduce the relevant content in detail in the next series of articles.