The NFL Super Bowl LVI in 2022 represented the height of popularity, or at the very least, widespread awareness, for blockchain technology, smart contracts and the foundation of the great majority of cryptocurrencies. In a commercial for Crypto.com that has been seen roughly 18 million times on YouTube, Matt Damon advised viewers to invest in cryptocurrency with the motto “Fortune favours the brave.”

Investors lost hundreds of billions of dollars in a sell-off due to the price of cryptocurrencies plunging to levels not seen in sixteen months, barely four months after the significant event. And celebrities like Matt Damon, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and LeBron James, who had put their names and faces behind cryptocurrency exchanges, started to be criticized for promoting virtual currency without mentioning the risks involved.

Even though the fall of the cryptocurrency market has unnerved investors and attracted the attention of regulators, some perceive it as a setback. In contrast, others consider it a sign of the sector’s growth. According to several industry experts, the shakeup will reveal authentic blockchain ventures instead of those sustained by marketing hype.

Others compare the present condition of cryptocurrencies and blockchain to the IT industry in 1999–2000. In 2000, when the Internet stock bubble was at its apex, Nasdaq’s initial public offerings (IPOs) raised $54 billion. During the period between 1995 and 2001, 439 dot-com businesses went public. In 2002, however, the dot-com speculation came to an end. After increasing by a factor of five between 1995 and 2000, the Nasdaq fell by more than 77 per cent, resulting in the loss of billions of dollars and the demise of several new enterprises.

The rise and collapse of technology equities triggered the bursting of the tech bubble, resulting in a significant correction to the overvaluation of technology stocks. Despite this, technology-driven businesses did not go extinct.The development of blockchain-based technologies has also advanced rapidly. The blockchain, often known as a public ledger, was created in 2009 for Bitcoin, the first cryptocurrency. Since then, more than 10,000 distinct cryptocurrencies have been brought into circulation.

Mark Cuban, who made his initial fortune in the technology business in the 1990s, compares the current situation to the dot-com boom of the early 2000s. He explained it as follows in a tweet: “After a recent influx of “exciting” blockchain-based innovations in the crypto space, such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), decentralized finance (DeFi), and play-to-earn applications, there has been an “imitation phase” in which new blockchains copy popular, existing applications and bring a variant to market. This period has lasted for some time.

Blockchain technology offers significant unrealized potential for companies in various industries despite the surge in popularity of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other altcoins in the larger financial and economic spheres. The development of blockchain technology may be the most significant positive effect of the spike in the popularity of cryptocurrencies.

Frequently, blockchain technology is referred to as a distributed digital ledger. This refers to the mechanism used to record transactions over a global computer network. The financial services industry was an early adopter of blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies, attracted by the possibility of unregulated transactions that are safer, more efficient, and more convenient (DLT). Nonetheless, they are not alone. Information is the driving force of the business. The data should be gathered as rapidly as feasible without sacrificing precision. This is the strength of blockchain technology. Industry leaders are using blockchain technology to raise the degree of transparency and validity across all digital information ecosystems, minimize friction in company processes and interactions, establish trust, and unlock new value-creation opportunities.

Also read: Dima And Vitalik Buterin On Crypto’s Morally Clarifying Moment

A blockchain is a decentralized, public, and immutable ledger that accelerates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets within a business network. Every network user has access to the distributed ledger, which keeps an immutable (or unalterable) record of all transactions. No participant can modify or tamper with a transaction after it has been recorded in the shared ledger. A smart contract is a set of rules or computer programs stored on a blockchain and automatically executed. This expedites the processing of financial transactions.

Assets: An asset may be tangible (such as a house or car) or immaterial (such as cash or land) (intellectual property, patents, copyrights, branding). Almost everything of value may be recorded and traded on a blockchain network.

Block of data: As each transaction is performed, it is recorded as its own “block” of data. The data block may include any information you choose, including who, what, when, where, how much, and even the condition, such as the temperature at which stored food shipment. These transactions involve the transfer of an asset.

Each block in a blockchain is linked to the unions that came before and after it. When an object is moved from one place to another or ownership is transferred, these blocks connect to form a data chain. Due to the interlocking nature of the bricks, it will be difficult to alter any of the blocks or insert one between two already there.

Unbreakable chain: Adding each new block enhances the accuracy of verifying the previous block and, therefore, the blockchain as a whole. This removes the possibility that the transactions have been altered and produces a ledger of transactions that you and the other network participants can rely on.

The word “public” refers to a blockchain, such as Bitcoin, that enables anybody to join and participate in its activities.

A private blockchain network is a decentralized peer-to-peer network like a public blockchain network. In contrast, the network is administered by a single organization that determines who may participate.

A Hyperledger is a global corporate blockchain project that offers the necessary structure, rules, norms, and tools for building open-source blockchains and related applications across several industries. Enterprise blockchains is another name for Hyperledgers.

The financial services sector has pioneered adopting blockchain technology, but its potential uses are far broader. The potential advantages are increased transparency, dependable monitoring, a permanent ledger, and cost savings. Healthcare, supply chain management, digital identity, and energy markets might benefit industries.

The following companies are using blockchain technology to develop a more secure and intelligent Internet of Things (IoT) network:

• Using decentralized credential solutions, HYPR can address the cybersecurity concerns connected to IoT devices. By eliminating passwords from a centralized server and using methods that do not need passwords or biometrics, HYPR makes it almost impossible to attack Internet of Things devices.
• As a result of cooperation between the consulting firm EY and the blockchain company Guardtime, a blockchain platform was created exclusively for the marine insurance market.
• The Denver-based business, BurstIQ, was the first health-related blockchain company to build and successfully commercialize a blockchain-based big data platform. This technology enables the safe and HIPAA-compliant storage, management, sharing, analysis, and monetization of massive volumes of complex data on a blockchain.
• Ocean Protocol is a Singapore-based decentralized data exchange. Daimler has partnered with Ocean Protocol to examine how blockchain technology may improve the business of supply chain data across several manufacturing locations and partners.
• Throughout a large building project in Amsterdam, HerenBouw used a blockchain to record the transactions. This resulted in a more accurate and auditable record, including information on the orders placed and payments paid.

Even though Mark Cuban may be leading the charge, investors and significant businesses from all around the globe remain hopeful about blockchain. Cuban has said that smart contracts, which are collections of code that execute a specified set of instructions on a blockchain, represent the most profitable opportunity for bitcoin enterprises and blockchains. In May 2020, Cuban sent out the following tweet.

Eth Smart Contracts are better, cheaper, faster at authenticating/buying/selling/delivering digital items than alternatives available. This makes it a viable currency and trading mechanism for all things digital. That’s powerful and will grow as applications are added

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) May 2, 2021

The deployment of smart contracts to boost the efficiency and profitability of enterprises has not yet been seen. After that, it will have to be the driver. When intelligent contracts enable businesses to gain a competitive advantage, you can be confident that they will. Those armed with this knowledge will triumph.