Federal Agencies Flirt with Blockchain

Nextgov: The decentralized record-keeping system that tracks bitcoin and other digital currencies might have a role in the federal government, but it's not yet clear what that role is.

Agencies are showing early interest in blockchain technology. The Homeland Security Department awarded BlockCypher—which operates such databases—a Small Business Innovation Research grant last year to demonstrate how blockchain can stymie hackers. The General Services Administration is investigating using blockchain as part of a broader plan to automate the bid-review process on certain contracts. The Health and Human Services Department recently hosted a code-a-thon in which developers built blockchain-based tracking systems for electronic medical records.

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