Blockchain technology is a digital innovation that can significantly impact financial markets in the next few years. It allows for trustworthy and secure transactions through a distributed ledger maintained across a peer-to-peer network. A blockchain uses cryptography to record transactions in blocks that are chained together, making past records unalterable. While still developing, blockchain offers opportunities for trust and security across industries through features like smart contracts and distributed data storage. It remains to be seen how widely blockchain will be adopted and what applications may emerge in the future.