5. Digital tokens and traceability

5.1 Presentation

Our overview of blockchain's capabilities would not be complete without addressing its main use: cryptoassets. This technical term refers to all assets materialized on a blockchain in the form of transferable digital tokens.

These digital tokens are nothing more than numbers on the blockchain. Imagine a register in which you have a list of addresses (like a RIB provided by a bank) and opposite this a number of cryptoassets (like the euros in your bank account). By sending a transaction, the holder can transfer tokens from one address to another (like a SEPA transfer). If we were in an Excel file, we'd see a new line appear in our workbook indicating the originating address, the type of message (a transfer), the receiving address, the name of...