Mark Tencaten - How Crypto Transactions are added to the Blockchain
Blockchain is a technique of storing data in such a way that it is difficult or impossible to modify, hack, or cheat this system. A blockchain is a digitalized record of transactions replicated and shared across the blockchain's complete network of computer systems. Each block in the chain contains several transactions, and each time a new transaction takes place on the blockchain, proof of that transaction is added to the record of each participant. Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) is a decentralized database that is administered by multiple individuals.
Blockchain
is a distributed ledger technology in which transactions are recorded using a
hash. Hash is an immutable cryptographic signature. This implies that if a
single block in the blockchain is changed, it will be instantly clear that the
blockchain has been tampered with. Hackers will have to update every block in
the chain across every distributed version of the chain if they intend to
corrupt a blockchain system.
Cryptocurrencies
like Bitcoin and Ethereum are constantly growing as new blocks are added to
their blockchain, increasing the ledger's security considerably.
Mark
Tencaten of NGS
Group mentions that before a transaction can be added to a blockchain, it must
go through many important stages. They are cryptographic key
authentication, proof of work using authorization, mining, and the more recent
usage of proof of stake protocols in blockchain networks.
Authentication
According to
Mark Tencaten, the original blockchain was created to function without a
central authority (i.e., no bank or regulator can decide who can transact), but
the transactions still need to be authenticated. Cryptographic keys are used to
authenticate the transactions. It is a string of data (similar to a
password) that identifies a participant and grants access to their
crypto account or wallet of value on the network. Each member
has a public key and a private key that is visible to all the users. Using
these keys together generates a secure digital identity that can authenticate
users via digital signatures and is used to unlock transactions.
Authorization
After the
participants agree on the transaction, Mark Tencaten explains
that it should be validated before it can be added to a block in the
blockchain. The decision to add a transaction to a chain on a public blockchain
is decided by consent. This means that the transaction should be accepted by
the majority of nodes (or devices connected to the network). The users who own
the machines in the system are rewarded for validating transactions. This
procedure is termed "proof of work."
Proof of Work
To attach a
block to the chain, Proof of Work requires the users who own the computer
devices in the network to solve a challenging mathematical problem. Mining is
the process of finding the solution, and 'miners' are usually rewarded for
their work in mining cryptocurrency. However, mining is a difficult task. The
mathematical question can only be completed through the trial and error method,
with a 1 in 5.9 trillion chance of succeeding. It demands a significant amount
of computational power, which consumes a significant amount of energy. This
means that the benefits of mining usually surpass the cost of the processors
and the electricity used to power them because a computer system would take
years to solve the mathematical problem.
Miners
frequently pool their resources through firms that aggregate a big group of
miners to achieve economies of scale. The earnings and rewards offered by
the blockchain system are then shared among these miners.
As more
computers join the blockchain to solve the mathematical problem, the difficulty
becomes more challenging, and the network grows bigger, presumably dispersing
the chain further and making it very difficult to destroy or hack. However, now
mining power is becoming confined to the control of a few mining pools in practice.
These massive corporations have the computing and electrical resources that are
required to run and construct a blockchain system based on Proof of Work
certification.
To address
this problem of high costs, Mark Tencaten planned to expand and relocate
the mining center offshore to a tax-free commercial zone, where the price of
electricity was significantly lower than in Australia.
Proof of Stake
Later
blockchain systems started using "Proof of Stake" validation
consensus procedures, in which members should have a stake in the blockchain
(usually by owning some cryptocurrency) to be eligible to select, validate, and
verify the transactions. Since no mining is required, this saves a significant
amount of computational power. Furthermore, blockchain technology has evolved
to include "Smart Contracts," which execute transactions automatically
when specific criteria are satisfied.
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