Blockchain is the technology behind cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, but its supporters argue it could change far more than money. These four TED and TEDx talks, recorded during the blockchain boom of the late 2010s, explain the basics of the technology and the ideas that drove early enthusiasm for it in business. For more on how the technology applies to finance, see How Blockchain Can Transform the Financial Services Industry.
Updated October 2026. We updated Don Tapscott’s profile, corrected a speaker’s name and pronoun, and added context on how regulators have treated Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) since these talks were recorded.
1. How The Blockchain Is Changing Money And Business
If you are looking for a brief introduction to cryptocurrencies and blockchain, this one video is the first and last stop. This talk explains distributed ledger technology, working, and opportunities to revolutionise finances and business.
The speaker in this talk, Don Tapscott, is the Executive Chairman of the Blockchain Research Institute and an Adjunct Professor at INSEAD. As of October 2026, his website lists 19 books on the impact of innovation and new technologies on society and business.
Tapscott explained all the basic questions on blockchain in an easy-to-understand manner. He answered, “What is blockchain?”, “How blockchain works?” and “What is Bitcoin?” in a less than 20 minutes video. He explained how blockchain will simplify the current messy financial service industry and turn inefficient and complex systems into transparent and immutable systems saving operational costs in millions of dollars.
Tapscott points out the potential of blockchain technology of making the world more prosperous by creating a true sharing economy, immutable ledgers with transparency, and giving the citizen control over data instead of a few entities like companies and government.
2. Future of Blockchain
Chelsea Rustrum brings out a different perspective on the implementation of the blockchain. The author of “It’s a Shareable Life” explains in an 8-minute talk how blockchain technology could bring positive change to businesses. She points to how quickly Airbnb grew compared with established hotel chains such as Hilton, and asks whether Uber drivers, who own the vehicles, are fairly rewarded.
In her opinion, all these companies are creating value on the ownership of the other without any commensurate reward. These ‘sharing economy’ companies are not sharing anything.
She then goes on to explain how blockchain technology could create a true sharing economy, offering a way to share ownership rights and distribute value more fairly.
Also Read – Top 6 Tech Trends in 2025 You Should Be Thinking About
3. How The Blockchain Will Radically Transform The Economy
The above talk was just the tip of the iceberg. This TED talk by Bettina Warburg is important for anyone who wants to delve deeper into how blockchain has the potential to improve the economy. Bettina Warburg is a blockchain researcher, educator, and entrepreneur. She explained how blockchain technology will take centralised institutions like banks and governments out of the equation.
Warburg explains how blockchain can play a key role in reducing loopholes by enabling transparency, and better asset tracing.
4. How Cryptocurrency Can Help Start-Ups Get Investment Capital
Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) are a way for startups to raise capital by selling digital tokens directly to investors. They were one of the most talked-about funding trends when this talk was recorded.
Ashwini Anburajan, a tech entrepreneur, talks about how startups are raising capital in cryptocurrencies, why this bold step is being taken, and the impact of democratising investing.
Keep in mind that the ICO landscape has changed a lot since then. In July 2017, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a report concluding that tokens sold by a virtual organization called “The DAO” were securities, and warned that token sales can fall under federal securities laws, which means they may need to be registered. If you are considering investing in a token sale, check the rules that apply where you live. This is general information, not investment advice.
To learn more about how technology is reshaping finance, read Fintech Use Cases and How It Complements Traditional Banking and The Rewards and Risks of Investing in Fintech.
