Bitcoin and the Blockchain have looked interwoven at times, and at other times they have appeared to be mutually exclusive entities. Cointelegraph asked experts whether Bitcoin can be absolutely separated from the Blockchain.

Through Blockchain, to Bitcoin

Michael Vogel, CEO and founder of Netcoins, says:

“Is Blockchain without Bitcoin possible? Definitely. But the crucial point that many miss is that without the decentralization offered by Bitcoin, a private Blockchain is not much different than simply another database. This is especially important if you rely on long-term public availability of the data in that Blockchain, because a Bitcoin-based blockchain is not dependent on a host company remaining in business. I think we also see a tendency for large organizations to "dip their toes" into the Bitcoin world by first experimenting with Blockchain. This is ok, and I think it's often because it's easier to convince a boardroom of executives to try out a standalone Blockchain initiative, simply because the term "Blockchain" carries less baggage than "Bitcoin". Although ultimately I think once organizations understand the power of the Blockchain, they will have even more appreciation for what Bitcoin offers”.

Oleg Khovayko, leading developer at Emercoin, responded to the question of whether Bitcoin can be absolutely separated from the Blockchain by saying:

“Of course, yes! Each altcoin has its own blockchain, independent from Bitcoin. There are over six hundred different altcoins available”.

Paul Snow, founder of Factom, explains it this way:

“One need for blockchains is that of a public witness. Bitcoin can serve as a public witness to prove you are; Only running a particular chain for a particular purpose, and The chain you present is the one and only valid one for that purpose. Factom is using Bitcoin for this public witness, but is otherwise enabling blockchain kinds of tech without inserting unnecessary transactions into Bitcoin. Running blockchains without a public witness prevents new players from knowing for sure that a history (a blockchain) presented to them is either the correct one or the only one. Any new and previously uninvolved parties coming to a blockchain then have to trust the parties already involved that they have not messed up at best, or committed fraud at worst”.

Possible but risky

Toni Lane Casserly is an advisor in Bitcoin and Blockchain technologies. She says:

“This is best answered by side chains. Usually but not always, saying you are going to create an external blockchain (in the same way people built, pumped and dumped altcoins) is essentially exposing anyone who buys into you to a huge security risk”.

Jonathan Chester, founder and president at Bitwage, offers this insight: