Blockchain technology is to use block chain data structure to verify and complete the storage and transmission of distributed data, node consensus algorithm to generate and update data, and through cryptography to ensure the data transmission between nodes and user access information security. In other words, blockchain is a new type of database after decentralization. After removing the operation of absolute central platform, the form of direct contact between nodes can bring secure and efficient data transmission. Therefore, blockchain technology has become a hot research object in many fields in the diversified information age.
After Bitcoin, the growth of blockchain
The concept of blockchain was born in 2008, but it became popular in China after bitcoin’s market value continued to grow. Bitcoin acquired market value eight years ago after a foreign programmer spent 10,000 bitcoins to buy two pizzas. After eight long years of appreciation, 10,000 bitcoins, once worth only $40, now have a peak value of nearly $200 million. However, due to the huge risks of virtual currency itself, the excessive fluctuation of currency value, and the restrictions of domestic policies, many domestic enterprises and players have begun to shift their focus from Bitcoin to the blockchain technology behind it.
After an in-depth understanding of blockchain technology, it is not difficult to conclude that the success of Bitcoin is due to the decentralization of blockchain and the high efficiency and security brought by cryptography. Bitcoin holders can obtain corresponding interests and efficiency guarantee in every transaction process. After many enterprises and players are deeply interpreting and studying blockchain, and applying blockchain technology to other fields, what kind of spark can blockchain spark in the field other than ICO?
** On the one hand, decentralization provides users with efficient and transparent information sources. ** The essence of blockchain technology is decentralization, which means that in blockchain, the central platform will no longer exist, and the user will become every node in the blockchain, and the data between nodes can be directly exchanged. Taobao electric business, for example, in the traditional consumption, consumers need to be taobao users and they want to buy on taobao index of product information, and in order to taobao afterwards to know goods logistics information, in the process of the deal, to be issued via taobao trading businesses and consumers demand, the taobao platform to dispatch information, The transaction process is lengthened by the existence of taobao as a central platform.
In block chain, will be a deal between consumers and businesses, consumers can through the chain to trading information broadcast to the block all users in a chain network, after the consent of the user authentication, the consumers to create block chain, will be added to the main chain blocks in the chain of every registered user can search for transparent trading records. At the same time, the decentralized transaction can save the interaction and information release time between consumers and merchants and improve the transaction efficiency.
** On the other hand, encryption algorithms ensure the security of transaction information. ** For users, the security of personal information is particularly important, but in many centralized trading platforms, user information security has become the fuse of all kinds of events. Recently, there have been reports that B station user account and password in the 360’s fast video APP without registered login, and many never on fast video released a video of the UP, but can be found on the platform and B have consistent video content, resulting in a series of user information leak is brewing. And before taobao on the sale of low-cost iQiyi member events are also caused by user information security…
However, after the integration of blockchain technology, the user will be treated as a node in the database. The user’s addition of blockchain needs to be maintained and recorded by all nodes, and a single node does not have the ability to tamper with information. At the same time, because the information interaction between nodes follows a fixed encryption algorithm, the data interaction in the transaction process will be determined by the blockchain program whether the activity is valid, so the transaction parties do not need to disclose identity information to gain the trust of the other party. In addition, the regional autonomy of blockchain solves the problem of interfering with information security in traditional centralized platforms.
An open and fair transaction process will be formed between consumers and businesses, which will effectively solve many conflicts between consumers and businesses due to the non-disclosure of information. In other words, the era of blockchain is the era of trust and sharing after the disclosure of information. The advantages brought by blockchain technology make demand in various fields more and more high, many domestic enterprise giants have joined the r&d of blockchain technology, trying to seize the market opportunity.
A series of controversies brought about by sleepless blockchain at three o ‘clock
On February 17, 2017, that is, Chinese New Year 2, gathered many industry entrepreneurs, capitalists, technology research and development of well-known figures such as establish the “chain” sleepless blocks at three o ‘clock WeChat group has become a hot topic, from all walks of life who debate in WeChat group content also be sorted out and spread out, on the Internet are all express the see, mixed reviews.
However, so far, the application of blockchain technology in China has not been as successful as bitcoin, and only a few examples of public welfare applications such as Tencent’s “public welfare search chain” formed by using blockchain in April last year have been successful. The reason lies in the controversy brought by the concept of decentralization in the blockchain system.
First, is there a real blockchain or a fake blockchain in the market?
In the early stage of the application of blockchain technology in other fields, many enterprises were caught up in the upsurge of blockchain for market hype. Take Changdao Iced Tea as an example. Changdao Iced Tea is not a tea or beverage in the real sense, but a cocktail similar to black tea in color. In January 2018, Changdao Iced Tea was renamed Changdao Blockchain Group. Riding the blockchain boom, Long Island Iced Tea’s stock market value soared to $100 million from $2.38 million at the end of last year.
Early block chain technology application, the consumer market is sensitive to the word “block chain” degree is higher, but most of the consumer’s perception of block chain technology has certain limitations, the growing of the dummy block chain enterprise consumes consumer tolerance to block chain technology market, and when there is an real block chain technology application, In the market, there will be the problem of distinguishing the “true and false Monkey King” blockchain. At that time, consumers may have lost interest in the pseudo blockchain due to the loss of interests. Blockchain can not get the market support of consumers, and its development will be limited.
The second controversy is whether the interests of merchants are damaged after the information is made public.
The core of blockchain is decentralization, and in the consumer market after decentralization, the transaction process and trust between consumers and merchants are published and completed in the blockchain, and the transaction efficiency is greatly increased. But how to grasp the degree of information openness, in order to ensure that business interests are not damaged?
In order to protect the interests of both consumers and businesses, is it in line with the concept of blockchain after black-box cost? Will block into electricity or retail chain technology is to make consumers provide commodity information source, also is to make consumers and businesses to form Shared trust model, but the businessman form will hit the power with small profit, but if a dealer cost behind the scenes, although can improve business revenue, but if goods problems in the process, Blockchain technology will be questioned by consumers again.
Third, will consensus mechanism bring herd effect?
For blockchain, consensus mechanism can be said to be the soul of the whole blockchain. Simply put, the consensus mechanism is an algorithm in which all users in the blockchain agree on the order of the object at a certain time. The multi-party data formed by consensus mechanism ensures the transparency of data in the blockchain system.
However, in the current Internet environment, it still takes a long time to cultivate the market in order to correctly guide numerous differentiated consumers to establish the database of blockchain system. And in the current market, there are a lot of “herd effect” netizens, Baidu Baike is a good example, although it has many followers, but its authority is still to be discussed; In addition, the diversified influence brought by the Internet also makes many consumers tend to be differentiated, and the blockchain released by these differentiated groups is prone to malicious support in the process of small amount of credit collection, thus forming a bad information chain that deteriorates the market environment. Similarly, information published by some authoritative institutions will also be blocked from appearing in the blockchain due to malicious opposition.
In this view, the success of blockchain in virtual currency has been tested by the market for nearly eight years, and the blockchain survival mode conforming to virtual currency has been formed in the development process of Bitcoin blockchain. However, controversial issues such as the pseudo-blockchain with blockchain as gimmick, how to grasp the degree of information openness, and whether consensus mechanism will bring herd effect will all become obstacles in the future development of blockchain.
How to become an ambitious winner in blockchain?
Block chain in the world outside of virtual currency areas of innovative applications is controversial, but as a product of the new era of Internet, the future will also become a huge tuyere, resulting in the tuyere will also emerged a large number of Internet entrepreneurs, and many entrepreneurs and current applications of block chain technology enterprises, in order to share economic waste heat in play a bigger role, Still need ceaseless efforts to seek a breakthrough.
First, strengthen the construction of the value “hub” in the platform blockchain. * * at the beginning of the block chain build period, absolute decentralization in at present still cannot be fully realized, from the field of virtual currency block chain technology, although no absolute position of enterprise to lead or influence the market, but instead become a virtual currency “currency” in the field of important hub, and whether it is for the end user or end user for C, B Their central hubs can bring them good profits. Therefore, the construction of value hub is the key to attract B-end users to settle in.
Second, strengthen the cultivation of technical talents. ** Although the data of linkedin illustrates the high demand for blockchain talent market in the past three years, its platform also shows that the total number of blockchain talents in the market is still small, only equivalent to about 2% of the global AI talents on linkedin platform. For many enterprises in the chain of blocks in fresh air in the mouth, the core factor of enterprise competition is to improve their technical level, only after the technology improved, can be in the market competition continuously heated block chain firmly seize the market, to provide technical support for the market, which will block chain infinite extends, to expand the size of the market.
Third, act accordingly to avoid risk. ** After many “speculators” turn their eyes from Bitcoin to blockchain technology, the tuyair of blockchain is also expanding under the advocacy of a lot of capital, and we can see from the lessons of the sharing economy that the winners will not be the majority. Therefore, under the tuyere of blockchain, entrepreneurs need to measure their own market resources, such as the credibility of development technology in the market; And investors need to distinguish between the various blockchain startups flying around and whether they are “pseudo-blockchain” technologies.
In a word, the tuyere brought by blockchain technology has become an inevitable trend. Many enterprises, entrepreneurs and capital at home and abroad are preparing for the arrival of the tuyere of blockchain. However, there are still many investors and entrepreneurs who rush into the market just because of the achievements made by blockchain technology in some fields. In such a mixed market, those who are impetuous and blindly invest in the market will also be doomed to be the survivors after the great wave of blockchain market.
Article/Liu Kuang public account, ID: Liukuang110