🌎1.2.3 Blockchain Real World Applications

As a quick reminder, a blockchain is a digital ledger that stores information in a secure, tamper-proof way across many computers at once.

Instead of saving data in one place, like a traditional database, it spreads the records across a network. Every time new data is added, whether it's a payment, an ID, or a contract, it’s grouped into a block, confirmed by the network, and locked into the chain permanently.

That structure means you can store all kinds of important information on a blockchain: who owns what, when something happened, or even the full history of a product or file.

Once it’s onchain, it’s there for good.

This ability to save data securely and openly is what makes blockchain useful far beyond just cryptocurrency.

a) Introduction

Up to this point, we’ve focused on how blockchain works, what it’s made of, and how it powers cryptocurrencies.

But technology is only as important as what it can do for people. And slowly, but surely, blockchain is moving from theory into action.

It is being used in places where traditional systems have failed, where trust is broken, or where efficiency and transparency really matter.

It’s here to solve real problems: to make things fairer, faster, and more accessible for people who’ve been stuck waiting on broken systems.

Billions of people still don’t have access to basic financial services. Others live under governments that regularly censor, inflate, or manipulate the systems people rely on.

In places like these, blockchain offers an alternative. It gives people a way to hold money that isn’t tied to a collapsing currency, or prove their identity without needing paperwork from a failing bureaucracy.

Let’s look at how it is being used in the real world today.

b) Real-World Applications

1. Supply chain tracking

One of the most practical uses of blockchain today is improving supply chains.

A supply chain is the journey a product takes from its origin to your hands, involving producers, suppliers, shippers, and sellers.

Traditionally, it’s hard to keep track of every step. Information might be scattered across different company databases, which can lead to fraud, counterfeit goods, or just a lack of visibility.

By putting supply chain data on a blockchain, every participant, from the farmer to the retailer, can log and see each transaction or checkpoint. Each time a product changes hands, a new “block” of data (like a timestamped record of origin, batch number, or shipping details) is added to the chain.

Because these records are distributed and immutable, no one can secretly alter them to, say, fake a product’s origin or change an expiration date.

For example, IBM Food Trust is a blockchain platform used by companies like Walmart and Nestlé to trace food from farms to store shelves.

If a safety issue arises (imagine a batch of spinach contaminated at the source), the blockchain record can pinpoint exactly which farm it came from and which shipments were affected.

Instead of a pulling all the spinach from every shelf just to be safe, the company can quickly identify and remove only the bad batches in seconds rather than days. This speed and accuracy reduces waste and improves consumer safety.

The transparency of blockchain in supply chains means anyone with permission (or even the public, if it’s an open blockchain) can verify a product’s journey.

As a result, you as a customer could scan a QR code on, say, a coffee package and see which farm grew the beans, to make sure they weren't sourced unethically. This level of openness helps prevent counterfeit products and ensures quality.

In short, blockchain brings greater traceability and trust to supply chain management, making sure that what you buy is exactly what it claims to be.

2. Identity Verification

Proving who we are is fundamental in daily life, like when you’re logging into a website, passing an airport security check, or opening a bank account.

Today, we usually rely on centralized authorities or databases for this (like government ID records or social media logins).

These centralized systems have disadvantages: they can be hacked, they often require us to hand over more personal data than we’d like, we don't exactly know what our data is being used for in some cases and in some parts of the world, people don’t even have reliable IDs.

Blockchain offers a new approach called self-sovereign identity, which puts you in control of your own digital identity credentials.

With a blockchain-based identity system, you could have a set of credentials (for example, a proof of your date of birth, citizenship, or educational degrees) that are digitally signed by the relevant authority and recorded on a blockchain.

Only you hold the private keys to that data, so you decide when and with whom to share information. This is very different from, say, a centralized ID database that any number of agencies or hackers might access without your consent.

Because the blockchain is decentralized, there’s no single point of failure: your identity isn’t stored in one big server that could be compromised.

And thanks to blockchain’s immutability, if an identity record says it’s been verified (for example, that a government confirmed your citizenship status), it can’t be forged or altered later without everyone noticing.

Real-world initiatives are already exploring this.

For instance, the ID2020 project is using blockchain to provide digital IDs for people who lack official documentation, such as refugees, so they can prove who they are in a secure way.

Even major tech companies are involved: Microsoft’s ION project builds an identification system on the Bitcoin blockchain to let users manage their own decentralized identifiers.

In practice, this could mean you have a digital ID wallet where, instead of carrying multiple ID cards, you have blockchain-based credentials for everything from your driver’s license to your vaccine records.

When you need to prove something about yourself, you can share just the specific credential (for example, “I am over 18” or “I have a valid driver’s license”) without revealing all your other personal info.

The big advantage here is trust minimization and privacy. You don’t have to trust a single company with your identity data; instead, trust is placed in the math and security of the blockchain network.

This can reduce identity theft and give people who currently have no official IDs a portable, secure identity.

While this technology is still developing, it hints at a future where proving who you are is easier and more secure, with YOU in control of your own identity.

3. Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

Around the world, billions of people still live without access to reliable financial services. Others depend on systems that are slow, expensive, or controlled by authorities that are not always stable or fair.

In these situations, blockchain-based finance isn’t just a new or cool idea to experiment with, it becomes a practical tool.

DeFi offers a way for people to save, borrow, or transfer value without needing to go through a traditional bank.

It is already being used in places with high inflation, limited banking infrastructure, or where governments have placed restrictions on how people can move or store their money.

In countries facing high inflation, for example, people have turned to stablecoins and DeFi tools as a more reliable way to store value.

In communities without local banks, decentralized lending and savings platforms offer a new kind of access: one built on code and community, not outdated financial systems.

The goal isn’t to replace every part of finance. The goal is to give people more control, more access, and more ways to protect and grow what they have.

4. Healthcare

Healthcare might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of blockchain, but it’s one of the places where the technology will have a surprisingly big impact.

Right now, your medical history is probably scattered across different hospitals, clinics, and labs. Some of it might be on paper. Some of it might be locked inside a system that doesn’t talk to the others.

That makes it hard to share, hard to access, and easy for important details to go unnoticed.

And that’s just on the technical side. There’s also the issue of trust. Who has your data? Who looked at it? Was it changed? These are real concerns, especially considering healthcare data breaches are more common than most people realize.

Look at this table below. Over HALF of all U.S. citizens were affected by healthcare data breaches last year!

Blockchain offers a better way to handle all of this.

Imagine having one secure health record that follows you wherever you go. Instead of being locked in separate systems, your medical history lives on a shared network that only you and your chosen doctors can access.

This isn’t just theory. In Estonia, the national health system already uses blockchain tools to protect more than a million patient records. Patients can log in and see exactly who accessed their data and why.

That kind of visibility builds confidence, not just in the data, but in the care itself.

It’s not just about data, either. Blockchain can also strengthen the medical supply chain: where it was made, how it was stored, and whether it’s been tampered with.

In parts of the world where fake drugs are a real danger, this can literally save lives. Pharmacies and hospitals can scan a product and immediately know if it’s the real thing.

"The World Health Organization estimates that there are over 1 million deaths annually from counterfeit and substandard drugs, causing $21 billion global financial impacts." - Source

These deaths can be avoided or at least drastically reduced with blockchain technology.

So, while blockchain won’t replace healthcare, it can definitely help it work better.

5. Intellectual property

In a digital world where content can be copied and shared in seconds, protecting creative work has become very hard.

Artists, musicians, writers, and other creators often struggle to prove ownership, track how their work is used or get paid fairly for what they make.

Most of the time, creators rely on third parties like publishers, record labels, or legal teams to handle these things.

But those systems are slow, expensive, and often exploitative.

And the only other option, which is to be an independent creator, often leaves you overlooked or underpaid.

Blockchain offers a new way forward. Its most powerful feature in this space is something simple but essential: proof.

When a piece of content is registered on a blockchain, it is timestamped and locked in. That creates a permanent, public record that shows exactly when and by whom the work was created.

For example, a photographer could upload a digital fingerprint of their image to the blockchain the moment it is finished. Later, if someone tries to copy or steal that work, the creator can point to the record as clear, unchangeable proof of ownership.

But it is not just about proving who made something. It is also about getting rewarded for it.

With smart contracts, creators can build rules into their work from the start. A musician might sell a song directly to listeners, and each time a payment is made, the funds go straight into the artist's wallet. If the song has co-writers or producers, the smart contract can automatically divide the money between them.

This is already happening with NFTs.

Artists can use NFTs to sell original works, but also to earn royalties every time their piece is resold, unlike traditional art markets, where artists usually get paid once.

Platforms like Audius are putting these ideas into practice. Musicians can share their music, connect with fans, and earn directly without giving up control. Other companies are working on similar tools for photographers, writers, and even game designers.

Still not convinced we need blockchain tech? ↓↓

"We estimate that the annual cost to the U.S. economy continues to exceed $225 billion in counterfeit goods, pirated software, and theft of trade secrets and could be as high as $600 billion" - Source

It all comes back to the same idea. Blockchain gives creators more control, more protection, and more ways to earn from their work.

In doing so, it helps shift power back to the individuals, the creators, not society’s leeches.

6. Voting Systems

Voting is one of the most important ways people can have control of the world around them, but too often, the process feels unclear and doubt emerges.

You cast your vote, then you’re expected to trust that it’s counted, recorded, and handled properly.

This lack of visibility has real consequences.

All over the world, voters worry about fraud, lost ballots, or election results being manipulated. For example, the 2020 U.S. election could have been wrapped up a lot quicker with verifiable votes.

Blockchain allows for this verification. Instead of relying on a central authority to manage and verify the vote, blockchain can create a shared digital record that everyone can see and no one can change.

Each vote is saved to a secure ledger, locked in place, and available for anyone to audit.

That means voters could confirm that their vote was counted, without revealing who they voted for. And the public could check the final tally directly, instead of relying on a single office or agency to report it.

Flowchart description:

>individuals request for verification at a registry so they access the "Eligible Voters list"

>the pollster sends the ballot to the voter, the voter then casts his vote

>the validator checks the voter is in the "Eligible Voters list", if so it sends him a receipt, if not then vote is invalid

>valid votes then get added to the tally

Several pilot programs have demonstrated the potential of blockchain voting:

• West Virginia, USA (2018): During the midterm elections, 144 military personnel stationed overseas cast their ballots using a blockchain-based mobile app called Voatz. - Source Article

• Zug, Switzerland (2018): The city conducted a pilot blockchain-based vote. Results: "79% welcome the use of e-voting in the city" - Source Article

• Moscow, Russia (2019): A blockchain-based electronic voting system was tested during local elections, recording nearly 30,000 votes. - Source Article

These pilots are early steps, but they show what’s possible. A voting system where the rules are enforced by code, where every vote is accounted for, and where cheating is extremely difficult by design.

Blockchain isn’t going to fix every broken system overnight. But that’s not the point.

What matters is that it’s being put to use in places where records need to be trusted, identities need to be protected and systems need to open up.

The examples here are not predictions, they’re already happening. And while there’s still a long way to go, the road forward is clear.

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