Postscript: The state of Blockchain in the mid-2020s

Abstract

Almost 20 years have now passed since the Nakamoto White Paper first appeared. This is a significant milestone since it allows us to take a serious look at the impact that distributed ledger technology and cryptocurrencies have had on society in general. As a product that is entering its second decade, this is a technology that has had time to scale and refine itself and move from a proof-of-concept/cottage industry phase to a more mainstream product. As such, we can reflect and examine the types of value propositions that are on offer, with a more fully realised picture of the costs of distributed ledgers, both direct and indirect.