UK chief scientific adviser recommends government use of bitcoin blockchain technology

Sir Mark Walport, the UK's chief scientific adviser, has recommended that governments use bitcoin blockchain technology. Blockchain is a permanent, distributed digital ledger that records all bitcoin transactions. Sir Mark believes that governments can use blockchain as a more secure way to manage data, such as helping to manage tax records, benefits or passport issuance. Blockchain records can be shared on networked computers and are resistant to malicious tampering.

Sir Mark said that the existing government data management methods usually involve large centralized systems, and single point failures will incur huge costs. Such systems are very vulnerable to hacker attacks and failures. In his report, he suggested that the government begin to try out blockchain technology to observe its usability.