Can the FBI track bitcoin transactions?

Yes, the FBI, and any other sufficiently resourced entity, can absolutely track Bitcoin transactions. The blockchain is, in essence, a giant, public, immutable ledger. While pseudonymous, Bitcoin transactions aren’t anonymous. Every transaction is recorded, forever. This means law enforcement can follow the flow of funds, tracing them back to addresses, exchanges, and potentially, even individuals. The ‘permanently recorded’ aspect is key – this isn’t like traditional banking where records can be lost or manipulated. However, it’s not as simple as just looking up an address. Sophisticated techniques like transaction graph analysis, mixing services detection, and collaboration with exchanges are often required to effectively unravel complex transaction trails. The level of difficulty varies greatly depending on the sophistication of the actors involved and the measures they’ve taken to obfuscate their activities. Think of it like a complex puzzle, not a simple lookup.

Mixing services, for example, attempt to break the chain of custody by combining multiple transactions to obscure the origin and destination of funds. But even these are often detectable with the right tools and expertise. Blockchain analysis firms specialize in this, providing essential investigative capabilities to law enforcement agencies globally.

While Bitcoin boasts enhanced transparency compared to traditional finance, it’s crucial to understand that this transparency is a double-edged sword. For legitimate users concerned about privacy, solutions like coin mixing services (with their inherent risks) or privacy-focused coins exist, but these introduce a new layer of complexity. The inherent traceability of Bitcoin transactions fundamentally changes the landscape of financial crime investigation.

What is the basic idea behind blockchain?

Blockchain? It’s a revolutionary distributed database, not just a ledger. Think of it as a shared, immutable, and transparent record of everything – transactions, assets, anything you can digitize. This “immutability” is key; once a transaction is recorded, it’s practically impossible to alter or delete it. This dramatically increases trust and security.

The core concept is decentralization. No single entity controls it. This eliminates single points of failure and censorship. Everyone in the network has a copy of the blockchain, making it incredibly resilient.

Assets? Anything of value, whether tangible like your Tesla or intangible like a digital artwork – NFTs anyone? The blockchain verifies ownership and transactions across this broadened spectrum. This opens doors to many innovative applications.

Enhanced Security: Cryptography secures each block, making tampering incredibly difficult.
Increased Transparency: All participants can view the transactions (with varying levels of privacy depending on the blockchain).
Improved Efficiency: Automating processes and reducing the need for intermediaries like banks.

But it’s not just about cryptocurrencies. Supply chain management, voting systems, digital identity – the possibilities are vast and are only just starting to be explored. Think about the implications for global trade, financial systems, even governance. This isn’t just a technology; it’s a paradigm shift.

Smart Contracts: Self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code. Automates agreements and removes the need for intermediaries.
Decentralized Applications (dApps): Applications built on a blockchain, offering censorship-resistance and transparency.

The bottom line? Blockchain is disrupting industries, creating new opportunities, and fundamentally changing how we interact with data and value. It’s a game changer, and early adoption is key.

Is blockchain 100% safe?

Blockchains are designed to be very secure, but not 100% foolproof. Think of it like a super-strong digital ledger that everyone can see. The “immutable” part means once information is written, it can’t be easily changed or deleted, thanks to cryptography and a system called “consensus.” This means many computers agree on the information before it’s added to the blockchain.

However, there are weaknesses:

51% attacks: If someone controls more than half the computing power of a blockchain network (a very unlikely but theoretically possible scenario), they could potentially manipulate the blockchain.
Smart contract vulnerabilities: Blockchains often use “smart contracts” – self-executing contracts with the terms written directly into code. Bugs in these contracts can be exploited.
Exchange hacks: While the blockchain itself might be secure, exchanges (where you buy and sell crypto) are vulnerable to hacking. If your cryptocurrency is on an exchange, it’s not directly on the blockchain and is therefore at risk.
Phishing and social engineering: Scammers can trick you into giving up your private keys (like passwords for your crypto), giving them access to your funds.
Node compromise: Individual nodes (computers participating in the blockchain network) can be targeted and compromised, potentially affecting the data they store.

In short: The blockchain technology itself is quite secure, but the entire ecosystem around it, including exchanges, smart contracts, and individual users, introduces vulnerabilities. It’s more accurate to say that blockchains are *extremely secure* compared to traditional systems, but not invincible.

Can you be tracked on the blockchain?

Blockchain tracking depends heavily on what you’re doing. Simple on-chain activity, like sending and receiving cryptocurrency, leaves a permanent, public record. Think of it like a giant, immutable ledger. Everyone can see the transaction details: amount, time, and the sending and receiving addresses.

However, anonymity isn’t necessarily lost. Wallet addresses are pseudonymous. It’s like a mailbox – the address is public, but the identity of the mailbox owner is hidden unless they choose to reveal it or a KYC (Know Your Customer) process links it to them.

Techniques to obscure your activity include:

Using a mixing service (a.k.a. tumbler): These services combine transactions from multiple users to obscure the origin and destination of funds.
Employing privacy coins: Cryptocurrencies like Monero and Zcash are designed with built-in privacy features to make tracking harder.
Utilizing multiple wallets: Distributing your holdings across various wallets complicates tracking.
Using VPNs and Tor: These tools mask your IP address and routing, making it more difficult to connect your online activity with your blockchain transactions.

Despite these techniques, sophisticated analysis is still possible:

Chain analysis firms employ advanced techniques to link addresses and identify individuals involved in transactions, often uncovering patterns even across multiple wallets and mixing services.
On-chain data analysis can reveal connections between seemingly unrelated transactions through cluster analysis and other methods.
KYC compliance by exchanges and other businesses forces identity disclosure for certain transactions.

In short: While blockchain technology offers a degree of pseudonymous activity, it’s far from truly anonymous. The level of trackability depends on your actions and the sophistication of the analysis employed against you.

What is blockchain in layman’s language?

Imagine a digital ledger, a super-secure spreadsheet shared by everyone on a network. That’s essentially what a blockchain is. Instead of a single bank or company controlling the records, this ledger is distributed across many computers. This makes it incredibly difficult to tamper with or alter the information.

How does it work?

Each transaction – whether it’s sending cryptocurrency, recording a product’s journey through the supply chain, or verifying a digital identity – is bundled into a “block”. These blocks are then chained together chronologically and cryptographically secured, hence the name “blockchain”.

Key features of blockchain technology that make it so revolutionary include:

Decentralization: No single entity controls the blockchain. This eliminates single points of failure and censorship.
Transparency: All transactions are visible (though individual identities might be masked depending on the implementation), creating an auditable and transparent system.
Immutability: Once a transaction is recorded and added to a block, it’s virtually impossible to alter or delete it.
Security: Cryptographic hashing and consensus mechanisms ensure the integrity and security of the blockchain.

Different types of blockchains exist, each with its own consensus mechanism:

Proof-of-Work (PoW): Used by Bitcoin, it requires miners to solve complex computational problems to validate transactions and add new blocks. This is energy-intensive.
Proof-of-Stake (PoS): A more energy-efficient alternative where validators are selected based on the amount of cryptocurrency they stake. This reduces the environmental impact.
Other consensus mechanisms: Numerous other mechanisms are emerging, each striving for improved efficiency and security.

Beyond Cryptocurrency: While blockchain’s association with cryptocurrencies is strong, its applications extend far beyond finance. Supply chain management, healthcare records, voting systems, and digital identity are just a few examples of how blockchain is transforming various industries.

The potential of blockchain is vast, and its impact on the future is only beginning to be felt.

What problem does blockchain actually solve?

Blockchain’s core function is establishing an immutable, cryptographically secured ledger. This fundamentally solves the problem of trust and transparency in data management. Instead of relying on a central authority susceptible to manipulation or failure, blockchain distributes the record across a network of nodes, making it incredibly resistant to fraud and unauthorized alterations.

This inherent immutability has profound implications across various sectors:

Enhanced Security: The distributed nature and cryptographic hashing of each block prevent single points of failure and significantly reduce the risk of data breaches or manipulation. This is particularly relevant in supply chain management, where tracking goods from origin to consumer ensures authenticity and combats counterfeiting.
Increased Transparency: All transactions are recorded on the public ledger, fostering greater accountability and traceability. This can be game-changing in industries grappling with opaque processes, like voting systems or intellectual property rights management.
Improved Efficiency: By automating processes and eliminating intermediaries, blockchain streamlines workflows, reducing costs and delays. This is evident in financial transactions, where cross-border payments can be significantly expedited.

While often associated with anonymity, blockchain’s privacy capabilities are nuanced. While cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin offer pseudonymous transactions, privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) such as zero-knowledge proofs and homomorphic encryption are being actively developed to enable greater confidentiality while preserving the integrity of the blockchain. Furthermore, permissioned blockchains allow for controlled access, offering granular permission management to address sensitive data handling.

Addressing privacy concerns directly:

Data anonymization techniques: Employing cryptographic hashing and other techniques to mask personally identifiable information (PII) while preserving data utility.
Access control mechanisms: Implementing robust permissioning systems that govern who can view, modify, or access specific data within the blockchain network.
Differential privacy: Adding carefully calibrated noise to data to protect individual privacy while maintaining statistical accuracy for aggregate analyses.

What does Amazon use blockchain for?

Amazon leverages blockchain technology primarily through its managed service, Amazon Managed Blockchain (AMB). This isn’t a direct application of blockchain for Amazon’s core e-commerce operations, but rather a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) offering for clients to build and manage their own blockchain networks.

Key functionalities facilitated by AMB include:

Hyperledger Fabric and Ethereum support: AMB supports both permissioned (Hyperledger Fabric) and permissionless (Ethereum) blockchain frameworks, allowing for flexibility depending on the specific needs of the application.
Simplified network management: The service handles the complexities of node management, security patching, and infrastructure provisioning, significantly reducing operational overhead for developers.
Enhanced data immutability and transparency: By using a shared, immutable ledger, AMB allows for increased trust and transparency within supply chains and other collaborative environments. This combats issues such as counterfeiting and data manipulation.
Integration with other AWS services: AMB integrates seamlessly with other AWS services, such as AWS CloudFormation and IAM, further simplifying development and deployment.

Beyond supply chain management, potential use cases facilitated by AMB include:

Digital identity management: Secure and verifiable digital identities can be created and managed on a blockchain, reducing fraud and improving authentication.
Healthcare data management: Secure and auditable sharing of patient data between healthcare providers.
Financial transactions: Increased transparency and security in cross-border payments and other financial transactions.
Intellectual property rights management: Establishing irrefutable proof of ownership and creation dates for digital assets.

However, it’s crucial to note: Amazon’s involvement is primarily infrastructural. They are not building their own cryptocurrency or decentralized applications (dApps) at scale. Their focus is on providing the tools for others to build blockchain solutions on their platform.

What is the downfall of blockchain?

The blockchain’s Achilles’ heel isn’t just scalability or regulation; it’s often a brutal reality of insufficient capital and resources. Initial deployment is notoriously expensive, demanding significant upfront investment in infrastructure, specialized talent (developers fluent in Solidity, etc.), and ongoing maintenance. The infamous We.trade debacle perfectly illustrates this point – a project crippled by underestimation of these costs. It’s not just about the servers; it’s the intricate development, rigorous testing, and constant security audits needed to build a robust and trustworthy system. Failure to adequately fund these critical aspects leads to compromised security, rushed development (introducing vulnerabilities), and ultimately, project failure. Think of it like this: you can have the best trading strategy in the world, but without sufficient capital to withstand market volatility, you’re destined to fail. Blockchain is no different. Undercapitalization kills projects before they even reach their potential. It’s not just about the initial outlay; it’s the ongoing commitment to sustained development and security enhancements that separates success from failure.

What is a real life example of a blockchain?

A prime example of blockchain’s real-world application is within the banking sector. While not always publicly visible, blockchain technology is increasingly used to enhance security and efficiency in financial transactions.

Traditional banking systems rely on centralized databases, making them vulnerable to fraud and single points of failure. Blockchain’s decentralized, immutable ledger offers a powerful alternative. Each transaction is cryptographically secured and recorded across multiple nodes in a network, eliminating the need for a central authority to verify every operation.

This distributed nature makes it incredibly difficult to alter or delete transaction records, significantly reducing the risk of fraud. Furthermore, the transparent and auditable nature of blockchain allows for enhanced traceability, aiding in investigations and dispute resolution.

Beyond simple payments, blockchain is being explored for more complex banking applications such as trade finance, where it can streamline the process of issuing letters of credit and managing international payments, reducing delays and costs.

The increased speed and security provided by blockchain solutions can translate to significant cost savings for banks and improved customer experiences through faster transaction processing and reduced operational risks. However, it’s important to note that widespread adoption within the banking industry is still ongoing, and regulatory hurdles remain a key challenge.

The use of smart contracts, self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement between buyer and seller being directly written into lines of code, is another area with significant potential. These smart contracts can automate processes and further reduce the need for intermediaries, further increasing efficiency and transparency.

Does anyone actually use bitcoin as currency?

Bitcoin, born from a free-market ethos in 2008 by the enigmatic Satoshi Nakamoto, wasn’t just an idea; it was a disruptive technology. Its open-source launch in 2009 marked the beginning of its journey as a decentralized currency, bypassing traditional financial intermediaries.

While adoption wasn’t immediate, Bitcoin’s use as currency steadily grew, fueled by its inherent security and scarcity. Its decentralized nature, resistant to government control and censorship, proved increasingly attractive.

El Salvador’s landmark decision in 2025 to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender was a watershed moment, showcasing its potential as a viable alternative currency on a national scale. This move, while controversial, demonstrated Bitcoin’s growing acceptance and sparked global debate on the future of finance.

Beyond El Salvador, Bitcoin’s use as currency is evident in numerous smaller-scale applications. Many businesses globally accept Bitcoin for goods and services, and peer-to-peer transactions remain a significant component of its ecosystem. While its volatility presents challenges, its utility as a store of value and a medium of exchange continues to evolve.

The question isn’t *if* Bitcoin is used as currency, but *how extensively*. Its adoption continues to expand, albeit gradually, within a complex and ever-changing global financial landscape.

How does blockchain work in simple words?

Imagine a digital ledger, shared publicly and transparently across a network. That’s a blockchain. Each transaction is bundled into a “block” – think of it like a page in a ledger. These blocks are cryptographically linked, meaning altering one block affects the whole chain, making it incredibly secure. This chain grows continuously as new blocks are added, recording every transaction permanently and immutably.

Decentralization is key; no single entity controls it. This prevents censorship and single points of failure. This inherent security is why blockchains are ideal for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, ensuring no one can double-spend their coins.

Cryptographic hashing is the magic: each block contains a unique code (hash) derived from the previous block’s data. Altering even a single bit in a previous block would change its hash, instantly making the change detectable, rendering the attempted manipulation obvious.

Timestamps ensure chronological order, providing a verifiable record of when each transaction occurred. This transparency and immutability are what make blockchain technology so revolutionary, promising trust and security in a decentralized world. Plus, the distributed nature boosts efficiency and resilience.

Smart contracts are another exciting application. These self-executing contracts automate agreements, eliminating intermediaries and streamlining processes – a game-changer across various industries.

Are any companies actually using blockchain?

Yes, blockchain adoption is accelerating rapidly. While the hype has cooled, real-world implementation is booming. 81% of leading public companies are leveraging blockchain across diverse sectors. Finance, naturally, is a major player – think improved cross-border payments, enhanced security for transactions, and the rise of decentralized finance (DeFi). Supply chain management benefits from increased transparency and traceability, combating counterfeiting and improving efficiency. Healthcare sees applications in secure data management and interoperability, while real estate benefits from streamlined property transactions and fractional ownership models. Even less obvious sectors like oil and gas utilize blockchain for tracking provenance and reducing fraud. The media industry is exploring blockchain for copyright management and royalty distribution, and education is seeing applications in secure credential verification and personalized learning platforms. However, it’s crucial to note that many blockchain implementations are still in pilot or early adoption phases. The long-term impact and widespread mainstream adoption remain to be seen, yet current trends indicate significant growth potential for investors who understand the nuanced technological and regulatory landscapes.

Can a blockchain be hacked?

While blockchain technology boasts robust security, the vulnerability lies not in the blockchain itself, but in the smart contracts running on it. These contracts, automating transactions, are susceptible to exploits if poorly coded. A single vulnerability, often a subtle logic flaw or an improperly handled exception, can be leveraged by attackers to drain funds or manipulate the system. Think of it like this: the blockchain is the incredibly strong vault, but the smart contract is the lock. A weak lock, regardless of the vault’s strength, compromises the entire system. Exploits frequently target reentrancy vulnerabilities, allowing attackers to repeatedly call a function before the initial call completes, effectively draining assets. Furthermore, denial-of-service attacks, while not directly stealing funds, can cripple the functionality of a smart contract, rendering it unusable. Thorough audits and rigorous testing are crucial before deploying any smart contract to mitigate these risks; even then, the potential for unforeseen vulnerabilities always remains. The complexity of some contracts and the ever-evolving landscape of hacking techniques make zero-risk deployment currently unattainable. Due diligence includes scrutinizing the developers’ reputation and the security practices employed throughout the development lifecycle.

Can Bitcoin go to zero?

Bitcoin going to zero? It’s a question that keeps popping up, and frankly, it’s a valid concern. The core argument is simple: as long as there’s demand, Bitcoin retains value. This demand stems from belief in its decentralized nature, scarcity (21 million coin limit), and potential as a store of value and medium of exchange.

However, let’s not sugarcoat things. Bitcoin’s value is entirely driven by market sentiment – pure and simple. This makes it incredibly volatile. A complete collapse in confidence – perhaps triggered by a major regulatory crackdown, a crippling security flaw, or a superior alternative emerging – could indeed send its price plummeting. The theoretical possibility of zero is not zero itself, but a realistic risk factor.

Consider these factors:

Regulatory Uncertainty: Government regulation is a constant threat. Stringent rules could significantly impact Bitcoin’s adoption and price.
Technological Advancements: A more efficient, scalable, and secure cryptocurrency could render Bitcoin obsolete.
Market Manipulation: Large holders have the potential to significantly impact the price through coordinated actions.
Black Swan Events: Unforeseeable events – geopolitical instability, economic crises – can drastically influence investor sentiment.

Therefore, while a Bitcoin price of zero isn’t inevitable, it’s undeniably a possible scenario. Don’t let the hype blind you to the inherent risks. Only invest what you can afford to lose.

Furthermore, consider the implications of network effects. While a decline in belief could lead to a price drop, a completely abandoned network would likely see the emergence of alternative networks using the Bitcoin blockchain and its inherent technology – resulting in value transfer rather than complete annihilation.

How does Walmart use blockchain?

Walmart explored blockchain for improving its food supply chain. They believed blockchain’s decentralized nature – meaning many computers hold the data, making it harder to tamper with – could make tracking food safer and more efficient.

Instead of a single database controlled by Walmart, blockchain acts like a shared, secure ledger. Every step of the food’s journey, from farm to store shelf, is recorded as a “block” of information. This creates a permanent, transparent record.

To test this idea, they partnered with IBM and used Hyperledger Fabric, a popular open-source blockchain platform. They ran two trial projects to see if it worked in practice. This meant tracking the origin and movement of specific food products using blockchain technology to see how quickly and accurately they could trace the source of any potential problems.

The goal was to shorten the time it takes to trace food contamination sources, potentially preventing widespread outbreaks and recalls. Imagine, instead of weeks to find the origin of contaminated lettuce, blockchain could reduce that time to hours.

How do you explain blockchain to dummies?

Imagine a digital ledger, replicated across many computers. Each entry, or “block,” contains a batch of transactions, cryptographically linked to the previous block, forming a chain. This chain is immutable; once a block is added, it can’t be altered or deleted. This immutability is enforced by cryptographic hashing and consensus mechanisms, ensuring data integrity.

The “shared” aspect means everyone on the network has a copy of the ledger. This transparency makes it extremely difficult to manipulate data. Any attempt to alter a transaction would be instantly detectable by other nodes due to the cryptographic linking. Different blockchain implementations use varying consensus mechanisms (Proof-of-Work, Proof-of-Stake, etc.) to validate new blocks and ensure network security.

Beyond simple transactions, blockchains can support smart contracts: self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code. These contracts automate processes, reducing the need for intermediaries and increasing efficiency. The decentralized nature of blockchain removes single points of failure and censorship, offering resilience and trust.

However, scalability remains a challenge. Processing large numbers of transactions efficiently is an ongoing area of research and development, leading to innovations like sharding and layer-2 solutions.

Furthermore, while blockchain technology offers enhanced security, it’s not completely invulnerable. Weaknesses in smart contract code or vulnerabilities in consensus mechanisms can still be exploited. Proper security auditing and careful code review are critical.

Why is blockchain a threat?

Blockchain’s reliance on real-time, large data transfers presents a significant vulnerability to various attacks. While the distributed nature of the network enhances resilience against single points of failure, it doesn’t eliminate the risk of data interception during transmission to Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Network-level attacks, such as routing attacks or DNS hijacking, can redirect blockchain traffic to malicious nodes controlled by attackers without obvious signs of compromise to participants. This is exacerbated by the fact that many blockchain networks lack robust mechanisms to authenticate the origin and integrity of network traffic at every hop.

Furthermore, the inherent public nature of many blockchains, while a core tenet of decentralization, exposes transaction data to potential analysis. While transaction details might be pseudonymous, sophisticated techniques like transaction graph analysis can reveal relationships between wallets and potentially compromise user privacy. The sheer volume of data transmitted creates a rich target for these analyses.

51% attacks, while theoretically possible, represent a major threat. If a malicious actor controls a majority of the network’s hashing power, they can potentially reverse transactions, rewrite the blockchain’s history, and disrupt the network’s consensus mechanism. This highlights the importance of network decentralization and the ongoing arms race between blockchain security and adversarial capabilities.

Beyond network-level vulnerabilities, smart contract vulnerabilities pose a significant risk. Bugs in smart contract code can be exploited to drain funds, manipulate data, or even seize control of decentralized applications (dApps) built on top of the blockchain. Rigorous code auditing and security best practices are crucial, but the complexity of smart contracts makes eliminating all vulnerabilities a significant challenge.

Finally, Sybil attacks, where a single entity creates numerous fake identities to gain undue influence on the network, remain a concern, particularly in networks that rely on reputation or voting mechanisms. Mitigation strategies often involve sophisticated identity verification systems or resource-intensive proof-of-stake consensus algorithms, adding complexity and potential for new vulnerabilities.

How does the blockchain actually work?

A blockchain, like Bitcoin’s, is a distributed, append-only ledger. It groups transactions into blocks, typically with a size limit (Bitcoin’s is indeed historically 1MB, though recently increased, and other blockchains vary widely). These transactions are verified through cryptographic signatures ensuring authenticity and preventing double-spending. Once a block reaches its size limit or a predefined time interval elapses, it’s finalized. This involves a process called mining (or consensus mechanisms in other blockchains like Proof-of-Stake), where miners compete to solve a computationally intensive cryptographic puzzle. The first miner to solve it gets to add the block to the chain and receives a reward (e.g., newly minted Bitcoin).

Crucially, the block header includes a cryptographic hash of the previous block’s header. This forms a chain, linking each block chronologically and immutably. Altering a single transaction in any past block would necessitate recalculating the hashes of all subsequent blocks, a computationally infeasible task given the immense hashpower securing the network. The block header also contains other crucial metadata, such as the Merkle root (a cryptographic hash of all transactions within the block), a timestamp, and the difficulty level of the mining puzzle. This difficulty adjusts dynamically to maintain a consistent block generation rate despite fluctuations in the overall network hash rate.

The hexadecimal number you mentioned is indeed the block header hash – a unique fingerprint representing the entire block’s contents. It’s critical for ensuring data integrity and verifying the block’s authenticity. Furthermore, many blockchains utilize Merkle trees to efficiently verify individual transactions within a block without downloading the entire block, leading to improved scalability and performance. The process is ultimately a sophisticated interplay of cryptography, distributed consensus, and incentive mechanisms to create a secure and transparent system for recording and validating transactions.

Who actually uses blockchain?

Blockchain is like a digital ledger that everyone can see, but no one can change. It’s used to make sure things are secure and transparent. Bitcoin is a big example – it uses blockchain to track all the Bitcoins ever created and who owns them, making transactions secure.

But it’s not just for cryptocurrencies. Some fancy brands are using it too! Luxury brands like Tiffany & Co., Dolce & Gabbana, and Gucci have tried out NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), which are unique digital items you can own, all thanks to blockchain technology. These NFTs often represent exclusive items or artwork, proving ownership digitally using the blockchain’s security.

Even Nike is involved. They bought an NFT company called RTFKT in 2025 to create and sell virtual sneakers and other digital collectibles using blockchain. This shows how blockchain is being used beyond just money, to verify ownership of all sorts of digital assets.