Ever wondered how many people have invested in bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies? As per a survey performed by Cambridge University, somewhere between 2.9 million and 5.8 million people utilized a cryptocurrency wallet in 2017. This number is staggering, especially when we look at the way governments of different countries are doing their best to stop people from using it.

Many governments deem it illegal, others tell the people that it is unsafe for their hard-earned money and some even go as far as saying that it is downright immoral (some people use cryptocurrency for purchase of drugs and illegal video content). Right or wrong, we are not here to discuss about the virtues of cryptocurrency. We are here to analyze what makes it click. Which is that unseen force behind this phenomenon that people trust? The answer is simple: Blockchain.

Bitcoin is an unregulated and de-centralized currency, which means that there is not one single entity that controls it. The power lies in the hands of people. It is the best form of democracy when it comes to financial transactions. And, it has been made possible by the use of blockchain. For a layman, blockchain is like a ledger that is made available to all users. The data and transactions are completely transparent, which is clearly seen by all the users at all times. It won’t be wrong to think of it as a Google Doc spreadsheet, which can be edited at any time and the changes are there for all to see. Due to transparency in all transactions, people are ready to put their faith in it and hence, cryptocurrency has become so popular.

Use of Blockchain in Other Fields

Although, blockchain hasn’t been used in any other field, its promising start as part of the cryptocurrency operations makes it a wonderful option for other domains. In a field like telecom, where customers are often worried about the telecom billing system employed by their service provider, it won’t be a bad idea to give blockchain a try.

However, an immediate overhaul of the system is not advised and companies should look to integrate it slowly with their telecom billing solutions. Some of the benefits that can be extracted by its implementation in telecom are listed below:

1. Solution to the problem of roaming – Blockchain can help overcome the major hurdle of operators that require them to integrate expensive systems, so they can offer authentication/access settings for starting roaming calls. Blockchain addresses this problem by enabling complex datasets across multiple parties, in real time and with great reliability.

2. Better Connectivity – Use of blockchain along with telecom billing and payment software will make it easier to offer several local hotspots along with Wi-Fi accessibility based on permissions. The transparency that comes with blockchain can go a long way in fostering trust amongst customers with regards to billing for these difficult-to-track services.

3. Telecom providers can become remittance providers – Remittance is the action of transferring money in a different country. By using blockchain, telecom providers will be able to serve their clients better by offering remittance services.

4. Reduction in cost of operation – Last but definitely not the least, the implementation of blockchain will automatically lower the requirement of infrastructure, which will in turn lower the cost of operation.