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Listen to this articleBitcoin continues to resurface in media headlines across the world. Bitcoin, however, is a small gear in the complex machine known as blockchain, the platform on which cryptocurrencies are based. Seen as the “virtual retooling of the internet based on peer-to-peer, decentralized technology,” blockchain could change the landscape of public services from transport to politics.
“Behind blockchain lies the powerful idea of using decentralized networks to organize, authenticate and validate transactions between people all over the world without third-party middlemen or the friction of national borders,” said Per Håkansson, Managing Editor of Inside Blockchain, in a recent press release.
In Latin America, Chile has been at the forefront of this disruptive technology. Tech experts gathered in Santiago, Chile for an open learning session on blockchain.
The event was attended by Entrepreneur Gabriel Gurovich; Marco Alarcón, chief blockchain architect at the Santiago Stock Exchange; and Guillermo Acuña, co-founder of Cumplo.com, Latin America’s leading crowd-lending platform.
Alarcón is working with IBM to establish a private blockchain to optimize information trading at the stock exchange. His program is set to go live in May. Acuña is looking to implement blockchain as additional currency to its platform.
Meanwhile, blockchain expert Cristobal Pereira said the technology has the potential to transform everyday life in the future. He gave examples of how blockchain could replacing identity documents, store medical information, disrupt real estate, and prevent theft and fraud.
Per Håkansson, who moderated the discussions said: “It’s been very exciting to learn about how Santiago can be reimagined using blockchain and also looking at the future visions. It’s all about fostering the community that’s creating new applications for this technology.”
The event was part of Allianz’s Global Explorer Program, a series of global and local partnerships, digital and physical activations and crowd-generated content platforms that call out to curious minds around the globe.
