Blockchain is being touted as the next great technological disruptor, with financial firms investing heavily and cyber-libertarians hoping it’ll enable decentralised transactions and P2P commerce. But can it break into everyday usage, or will it become just another buzzword from the world of tech?

Shanghai-based start-up VeChain is taking a high-tech approach to combatting the counterfeits that plague the high-end fashion market, using blockchain technology to track luxury goods. By charting the history of each item, it can ensure prospective buyers that they're getting the real deal.

The desire to know how what we buy was made is growing. ‘Hand-crafted’, ‘organic’ and ‘local’ are powerful buzzwords, but without a universal accreditation system, how meaningful can they really be? Provenance wants to transform transparency from a whim into an industry standard.

Rumbles of dissent against corrupt and disappointing governments are being heard worldwide. Through blockchain tech, Bitnation is creating a system of banking and governance that runs without any central authority. Can it offer a real alternative to the traditional nation state?