Blockchain. It’s been a buzzword since 2017. When most people hear this term, they associate it with a bunch of NFT monkeys, Bitcoin millionaires or whatever crypto crashes are making headlines. If anything, there’s been too much noise in this space. But what if I could tell you that the most exciting parts of Blockchain are barely trending on Twitter. They’re silently solving real-world problems for real people in the most exceptional ways. Let me take you on a ride through some block-chain use-cases that will blow your mind, not really on the basis of making you an overnight millionaire, but because they’re bringing in real change and making the world a better place, one block at a time. Blockchain’s Supply Chain Transparency Blockchain’s Supply Chain Transparency One of the most underratedblockchain’s use-case is its transparency. While it’s not a factor that’s grabbing attention such as DAOs or yield farming, I believe this is where Blockchain really gets to showcase its super power; creating trust where it didn’t exist. Imagine this, you’re in a coffee shop, holding a coffee sachet. That sachet represents a uniquely complex journey involving coffee farmers in Kenya, distributors across three countries, and countless intermediaries. In normal circumstances, if you wanted to know whether the coffee was ethically sourced, or maybe if the farmers were paid fairly, you’d have to take the manufacturer’s word for it. And in most scenarios, corporate promises on ethical sourcing have a mixed record at best. And this is where Blockchain can make a real impact. And this is where Blockchain can make a real impact. And this is where Blockchain can make a real impact. Every step of that coffee sachet journey can be recorded on an immutable ledger. Upon the coffee beans being harvested, that transaction gets recorded. When they’re sold to the processor, it’s recorded again. When they’re shipped, processed, packaged and distributed; each step creates a verifiable and unalterable record. The most exciting thing about this, isn’t necessarily the tech itself, it’s what it allows. Now consumers can scan a QR code and check out the entire story of a purchase. Brands and companies can’t aimlessly mention that they’re ethical; they have to prove it with real, verifiable data. And here’s the kicker, producers and farmers at the bottom of the supply chain who’ve had the least visibility and power now have the privilege to become part of a transparent system where their contributions are acknowledged and traceable. There are companies that are already putting this into action. A good example is Everledger, which tracks diamonds from the mine all the way to the market helping to fight the flow of conflict diamonds. However, this goes far beyond luxury goods. This element can be added to the pharmaceutical sector, where counterfeit drugs continue to kill tens of thousands on an annual basis. Or even to food safety, where Blockchain could work towards identifying contamination sources in short spans of time, and potentially save lives while preventing widespread illness. This Blockchain use-case is not centered on a token that people can speculate on, and potentially make overnight riches. Its good, honest work; utilizing Blockchain technology to build accountability and trust in systems. Hence, why it doesn’t attract as much attention. Estonia's Digital Identity Revolution Estonia's Digital Identity Revolution Purpose-driven Blockchain is on the come up. And one of its best implementations is Estonia’s digital identity system. As of now, technically, Estonia’s system precedes Blockchain and utilizes a different distributed ledger technology, however, the principles and outcomes provide a blueprint for what purpose-driven Blockchain can accomplish. Estonia with its small population compared to other metropolitan countries, has built something exceptional. A digital society where citizens have the opportunity to access virtually government services online, vote from any part of the world, and have complete control, over their digital identity. On this technology, every interaction is well-secured by cryptographic principles almost similar to those existing in Blockchain technology. Nevertheless, what truly makes the project purpose-driven, is its ability to disrupt trad-institutions rather than to create wealth. It was essentially built to solve a fundamental issue. But a question still remains: But a question still remains: But a question still remains: How does a small country with limited resources provide secure, efficient and accessible tools and services to all of its citizens? How does a small country with limited resources provide secure, efficient and accessible tools and services to all of its citizens? The evidence is clear. Estonian citizens get to save an estimated 820 years of working time annually, by placing its government interactions online. More importantly, the system has prevented over 2,000 cyber-attacks and its extra secure to the point that other countries are studying and adopting this exclusive approach.  However, what’s truly fascinating about Estonia’s model is how it puts its citizens first. Many Blockchain projects are primarily designed to enrich its creators. But Estonia’s digital infrastructure exists to meet its peoples’ needs. This way, citizens own their data, can control who accesses it and see how exactly it’s being used. This element ensures transparency and individual sovereignty achieved at a national scale. And it’s not just a technical achievement; it’s a philosophical declaration about essentially what a technology should do. It’s not about creating wealth for a few individuals. It’s about using advanced cryptographic technology to make citizens’ life 10x better. And that’s the approach that Estonia has taken. Blockchain in Healthcare Records Blockchain in Healthcare Records If there was ever an industry in need for Blockchain disruption, its Healthcare records. To call the current system a nightmare is an understatement with its incompatible databases, privacy breaches, lost files and inefficiencies. And you’ve probably come across this situation, when visiting a new hospital. Despite a patient having comprehensive health insurance, when they have an emergency and are admitted to a new hospital, the hospital barely has access to one’s medical history. Hence they can’t identify allergies, previous procedures or any current medications. What should be a simple routine visit turns into hours of repetitive questions, unnecessary tests and even more increased risk since one’s medical records can’t be accessed. Now envision a different world... Now envision a different world... Now envision a different world... Where every medical interaction you’ve ever has from doctor visits to imaging studies are recorded on a Blockchain that one can control. Whenever you walk into a new health facility you can instantly grant the medical team access to a complete and verified medical history. And they get an immediate access to whatever you’re allergic to, the medical procedures you’ve undergone and your baseline blood pressure. And it's slowly becoming a reality. And it's slowly becoming a reality. And it's slowly becoming a reality. Companies like MedRec and Patientory are currently building these systems. Ultimately, the Blockchain doesn’t store sensitive medical data itself (it’s inefficient and potentially insecure); but it maintains cryptographically secured pointers to where the data exists and along with an immutable record of has the right to access and when. itself (it’s inefficient and potentially insecure) The effects of this disruption is massive. Healthcare costs could drastically decrease if doctors don’t need to repeat tests over and over again since they can’t access previous results. Medical errors could become a thing of the past when complete patient histories are always available. More research can be done when anonymized but comprehensive health data becomes available for use by researchers. But at the core of it all, patients would have the ability to own their health data. Rather than one’s medical records being scattered across multiple providers’ systems, one would have a complete and portable health profile that they can move with at will. This way patients can grant access to new doctors, revoke access, and maintain complete visibility into who’s viewing your medical information. The healthcare industry is notoriously slow when it comes to adoption of new technologies, but the pressure for change keeps on building up. Patients demand better care co-ordination and better regulations allowing data ownership rights. While Blockchain won’t solve all the problems in healthcare, it could address some of the most fundamental problems surrounding data portability, privacy and patient control. Banking the Unbanked Banking the Unbanked Perhaps no Blockchain use-case reaches a far more important role than promoting financial inclusion among the world’s unbanked. Think about it, approximately 1.7 billion people lack access to basic banking services worldwide. It’s a staggering figure once you figure that these are actual real people existing in the same world you exist, yet never experienced the convenience of banking. For example, consider Mary, a small farmer in rural Ghana. She grows veggies and sells them at a local market, however, she lives at an area with no banks. In order to save some funds, she has to hide cash in her house, hence being vulnerable to theft. To send money to her daughter studying in the city, she uses expensive money transfer services that cut a big chunk on each transaction. In case she wants to expand her small business, she has no tangible credit history to show lenders therefore making loans almost impossible to attain. Traditional banks continue not serving people like Mary because it’s not profitable. The heavy costs of building a physical bank in remote areas, hiring teams, and also sustaining the infrastructure surpasses the potential revenue from customers with limited disposable income. This simple fact has left billions of people living in rural areas excluded from accessing financial services. But here’s the good part… But here’s the good part… But here’s the good part… Blockchain changes this reality entirely. With just a basic smartphone and mere internet connection, Mary can access a wide range of financial services. She can easily send monies to her daughter instantly for a fraction of what money transfer services charge. She can conveniently build a credit history through recording transactions on the Blockchain and eventually qualifying for microloans to expand her small business. This isn’t just in theory. This isn’t just in theory. This isn’t just in theory. It’s already at works. In countries like El Salvador and Nigeria, Blockchain-based payment systems are providing financial services to previously unbanked populations. Currently, mobile money systems, built on Blockchain technology are allowing people to save, send, and receive money without the need to ever step in a bank. This is exciting news for sure. Especially on how this Blockchain-based financial inclusion flips the old traditional model. While trad-banks require massive infrastructure to operate before serving customers, Blockchain allows financial services to scale in order to meet demand. One single Blockchain network can serve one person as easily as one million people, therefore making it an economically viable option to provide financial services with a phone and an internet connection. On top of it all, this impact goes beyond individual convenience. When people have access to secure savings, easy money transfers, and credit services; the state of economic empowerment can grow rapidly among these communities. Entrepreneurs can access capital, families can invest in education, and local economies can grow exponentially. Financial inclusion isn’t just focused on helping individuals, but financially empowering communities at a global scale. Conclusion: The Bigger Picture Conclusion: The Bigger Picture The most fundamental and compelling of all the use-cases is not the Blockchain aspect of it, but the real world problems that have existed for decades and centuries; that this technology is solving. Supply chain transparency addresses the massive problem of trust between buyers and sellers across large distances and complicated intermediaries. Digital identity solves the challenge of proving who you are in a world that’s never been more connected. Healthcare records focus on solving the major problem of information silos that have affected medicine ever since its inception. Financial inclusion is more of a moral and economic responsibility of bringing basic financial services to everyone regardless of their location and their financial status. I simply look at Blockchain as a tool; that’s exceptionally powerful to create trust, transparency, and direct peer-to-peer interactions without traditional entities. However, like any other tool, its value entirely lies not in its sophistication but how it impacts real peoples’ lives.  This golden perspective cuts through the noise and speculation that tends to surround Blockchain technology. Instead of focusing on what Blockchain can do, the big question should be, “What problems need solving, and What problems need solving, and What problems need solving, and how does Blockchain become part of the solution?” how does Blockchain become part of the solution?” how does Blockchain become part of the solution?” All these applications, I’ve mentioned are exciting not really because they showcase technological breakthroughs, but they build an ideal future where technology truly serves humanity rather than the other way around. They provide possibilities for more transparent supply chains, convenient healthcare systems, inclusive financial services and more citizens first; governments. While these untokenized applications may not make headlines, or create overnight millionaires; they just might change the world. And all it takes is one verified transaction, one secured identity, and one end user at a time. It’s a whole new world with Blockchain, and I’m here for it. It’s a whole new world with Blockchain, and I’m here for it. It’s a whole new world with Blockchain, and I’m here for it.

Blockchain Applications Building a Better World

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