Cryptocurrencies

What are we going to cover today:

  • Definition of a crypto currency
  • Main concepts
  • Main features

Cryptocurrency

 A digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography mechanisms for ensuring its security

...but it is not much more than a big database

Blockchain

The "database" of a cryptocurrency

Blockchain

  • Public ledger
  • Decentralised and distributed network of nodes
  • Very similar to P2P network

Mining

The process of confirming transactions and permanently recording them on the blockchain

Miner

  • Confirms transactions and spreads them across the network
  • Records transactions in the blockchain
  • In order to record transactions miner needs to solve a cryptographic puzzle

Crypto Puzzle 

  • Calculating cryptographic hash function (proof-of-work problem)
  • It helps to secure the network against fraud
  • Reward is given to the first miner who solves the crypto puzzle and adds transactions (block) to the blockchain

Keys

  • Cryptocurrencies make use of public-private key cryptography principles

  • Just the owner of the private key can send the funds

Cryptocurrency features

  • Low cost
  • Irreversibility an immutability
  • Security
  • No single point of failure
  • Speed

Thank you

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By Povilas Lape

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