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How Does Bitcoin Work?

Bitcoin is built on a distributed digital record called a blockchain. As the name implies, blockchain is a linked body of data, made up of units called blocks that contain information about each and every transaction, including date and time, total value, buyer and seller, and a unique identifying code for each exchange. Entries are strung together in chronological order, creating a digital chain of blocks. “Once a block is added to the blockchain, it becomes accessible to anyone who wishes to view it, acting as a public ledger of cryptocurrency transactions,” says Stacey Harris, consultant for Pelicoin, a network of cryptocurrency ATMs. Blockchain is decentralized, which means it’s not controlled by any one organization. “It’s like a Google Doc that anyone can work on,” says Buchi Okoro, CEO and co-founder of African cryptocurrency exchange Quidax. “Nobody owns it, but anyone who has a link can contribute to it. And as different people update it, your copy also gets updated.”

The global forecast for the Asian markets is murky following recent volatility, with crude oil prices providing support in what has been an otherwise tough month. The European markets were down and the U.S. bourses were mixed and flat and the Asian markets figure to split the difference.The TSE finished modestly lower on Friday following losses from the financial shares and property stocks.For the day, the index sank 15.09 points or 0.49 percent to finish at 3,061.35 after trading between 3,057.84 and 3,089.78. Volume was 1.39 billion shares worth 1.30 billion Singapore dollars. There were 285 decliners and 184 gainers.