Blockchain is a technology for storing and transmitting information, transparent, secure, and operating without a central control body.
The European Parliament came to define blockchain as: " a set of blocks integrated into a system sharing a common database " in its resolution No. 2016/2007 of 26 May 2016 on virtual currencies.
By extension, a blockchain is a database that contains the history of all exchanges made between its users since its creation. This database is secure and distributed: it is shared by its various users, without intermediaries, which allows everyone to verify the validity of the chain.
Introduced into French law by Decree No. 2018-1226 of December 24, 2018 under the name "shared electronic recording device" (DEEP), blockchain is now a technology apprehended by the law.
Since its appearance in 2008 with the advent of Bitcoin, the technology has evolved considerably. It can be found in most sectors: finance, health, energy, transportation...
There are mainly two types of blockchains:
They are decentralized and do not require a trusted third party. Their main characteristic is that they are accessible to everyone. The best known is Bitcoin, but there are many others. Although secure, public blockchains do not offer the same flexibility as a private blockchain.
These technologies are based on a centralized system controlled by a network manager who must approve and declare participants. The trusted third party thus designated to control the network will be the sole holder of the power to anchor a transaction, a data... In such a blockchain, there is no room for anonymity because the manager must approve each member and therefore know their identity.
The choice of a private blockchain ensures the security of transactions, offers a system that is subject to French and European regulations and also ensures constant confidentiality.
