Technology

Beyond Bitcoin

What Blockchain Technology Can — and Cannot — Do

Arvind Narayanan

Computer scientist at Princeton University, specializing in blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and the social implications of digital systems.

March 2, 2026·8 min read

Beyond Bitcoin

Blockchain technology was invented to enable Bitcoin, but its potential applications extend far beyond cryptocurrency. Supply chain management, voting systems, digital identity, and decentralized finance are among the many domains where blockchain is being explored. But the technology has significant limitations, and many proposed applications have failed to deliver on their promise.

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blockchaincryptocurrencyBitcoindecentralizationtechnology

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