Blockchain technology provides a secure digital platform for recording and verifying transactions. It works by creating an immutable record, or "golden record", of transactions that is distributed across a network of computers. This makes altering logged data extremely difficult. Blockchain allows peer-to-peer transactions without intermediaries, reducing costs and settling transactions faster than traditional banking. It is decentralized, with data distributed across servers rather than a central hub, increasing security. Users and developers have more control over blockchains than with systems run by third parties.