Blockchain Technology is on the verge of revolutionizing our lifestyle.

It provides transparency and security, and could improve so many different areas of our everyday life.
While most people only associate blockchain with cryptocurrencies or the FinTech industry in general, there are actually countless other applications for Blockchain Technology in all different sectors!

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Use Cases for Blockchain Technology

Apart from the financial sector

1) Smart Contracts / Ownership Verification

Blockchain has the unique ability to certify someone's ownership of something - recorded safely and transparently with a time stamp.

It could certify the ownership of any assets - whether that's a piece of land, a house, or even a diamond.

This could be especially beneficial to people living in third-world countries that suffer from corruption!
With Blockchain, these people could have their rightful ownership certified and no one could alter the records afterwards.
Startups in some regions of Africa have already realized these benefits and began using Blockchain Technology for land-title registries.

Smart Contracts in the Music Industry

Smart contracts could be especially beneficial in the music industry as they are constantly facing problems of ownership rights, royalty distribution and transparency.
With Blockchain, one could establish a decentralized database of music rights which can provide transparent royalties to artists. This way, artists don't have to fear about unfair distribution due to their label, and managers could benefit from the secure and transparent music ownership rights.

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2) Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things describes the concept of a global infrastructure between devices that are connected through the internet.
Think about it: How many "smart" devices do you have in your house? Obviously your phone and your laptop, but maybe your TV can connect to the Internet too? What about your hi-fi system? And don't forget about the new "home assistants" like Amazon Echo, Google Home or the Apple HomePod.
Soon, we are approaching an era where even household appliances like fridges, toothbrushes and washing machines will be connected to the Internet of Things.

This obviously comes with a lot of scalability, privacy, and reliability concerns - and Blockchain is there to solve all of these.

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3) Tracking (Supply Chain Food Safety)

Blockchain Technology has the unique ability to record everything with a time stamp. This way, no more alterations can be made and ultimate transparency is guaranteed.

This feature is beneficial to a lot of different industries, but one in particular is food safety.

Blockchain Technology can be used to track the supply chain, therefore verifying the origin of certain produce, and also recording each step along the way to make sure that everything was handled in time and according to safety regulations.
IBM and Walmart are already using this technique, as well as the Startup Ambrosus (which starts its ICO on September 13 by the way.)

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4) Distributing Aid

Blockchain Technology be used to fairly distribute aid to those in need.
The United Nations World Food Programme has launched the project "Building Blocks" where it uses the Ethereum blockchain to distribute funds to refugees - for example in the Jordan.
The refugees receive certain cryptographically unique coupons, and then have to identify themselves through eye scanners at the equipped refugee camps. If the verification is successful, funds in form of cryptocurrency are distributed, which they can then exchange for their local currency right at the camp.

This way, organizations like the UN can 100% verify someone's identity (even without their passport), and they can manage and distribute funds much more easily without having to send money through the traditional banking system.

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5) Identity Verification

Blockchain Technology can also be used for Identity Verification purposes. The transparent and secure nature of the Blockchain makes it ideal for proving anything - while knowing that no fraudulent alterations were possible.

If you combine this with modern identity verification techniques, you can implement this concept in passports, IDs, E-Residency, birth certificates and more.

A startup that's already making use of these benefits is Civic, who have launched their own Secure Identity Platform.
Other firms exploring this business are IBM and SecureKey, who have teamed up to "deliver Blockchain-Based Digital Identity Network for Consumers."
Together, they are creating a digital identity and attribute sharing network which makes use of IBM's Blockchain service.

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These were only 5 possible applications for Blockchain Technology - but actually, there are so many more!

Almost every industry sector could benefit from Blockchain Technology. It's just a matter of time until they've realized this!