#WhiteHouseCryptoSummit
A blockchain is a distributed ledger, a shared database of information that is chained together via cryptographic techniques. "Distributed" means that it is stored on many computers rather than a centralized server location, as is typical of most data storage.
A network of automated programs installed on these computers maintains the blockchain and performs the functions necessary for it to operate.
A block on a blockchain is a file that contains a block header, transaction counter, and the transactions recorded in the block. The transaction counter lists the transactions in the block, while the block header is made up of several elements:
