Blockchain technology, most commonly associated with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, was not originally designed for this purpose. Its roots trace back to the early 1990s and a system called ‘Surety’. Established by cryptographers Stuart Haber and W. Scott Stornetta, Surety was developed to timestamp digital documents, preventing them from being tampered with.
The system worked by publishing a ‘hash’, a short string of numbers linked to a set of information in the New York Times. This hash acted as proof of the time and date the document was created. If the document was altered, the hash would change, revealing the tampering. This ‘hash chain’ was the first form of blockchain technology.
Contrary to popular belief, Bitcoin was not the first use of blockchain. It was, however, the first to combine blockchain with a workable digital currency. This combination has since led to the widespread adoption and recognition of the technology. Nonetheless, the origins of blockchain can be traced back to a humble timestamping service, highlighting the transformative potential of technological innovation.
Go to source article: https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/j5nzx4/what-was-the-first-blockchain