AngelList co-founder Naval Ravikant sat down with Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin at Disrupt SF. The topic of conversation was cryptocurrencies and blockchains. Key takeaway: Blockchains are the biggest technological breakthrough since the Internet.

What is a Blockchain?

Vitalik defines it is as “a decentralized system that contains some kind of shared memory.” It’s a public ledger showing all the transactions of the cryptocurrency. Here’s a visual demonstration.

“The internet is programmable information. The blockchain is programmable scarcity.” – @balajis

Blockchains are the Internet protocols for allocating scarce resources. Today, you can use all the server power you want by paying AWS. In the future, you’ll use a decentralized network for digital storage where people can rent out their spare capacity in exchange for a digital token payment.

Over time, we may even see solar grids, electric grids, self-driving car grids, and other decentralized networks in the real-world that will be controlled and administered by blockchain without human intervention.

“With blockchains we are going to decentralize all the things” – @naval

Build a Decentralized Future on the Blockchain Today

If you’re an engineer or designer and want to work at a crypto startup, join A-List. If you’re interested in the space regardless of your skill set, read our guide: How to Get a Job at a Crypto Startup.

Blockchain products people are working on:
• Blockstack is creating a gateway to a new, decentralized internet
• Toshi is Coinbase’s mobile browser for the Ethereum network
• 21.co replaces your public email with an inbox that pays you

P.S. Check out Cryptominded and WTF is Ethereum to learn more about the space.