1. Decentralised
Blockchains are not owned by any single entity. They are shared by a community of users who can read, write and access information in the blockchain directly, without having to go through a central authority. Unlike typical Internet applications where a single master copy sits on a central server, blockchains are distributed ledgers where multiple nodes on a peer-to-peer network carry the same master copy.
Why does this matter? Centralised systems hold all information in one place, which increases risk. For one, it makes them prime targets for malicious attacks. Even in more innocuous situations, centralisation is still risky because if the system shuts down, everyone loses access; if the system is corrupted, all its data may even be irretrievably lost. In contrast, since the same blockchain data is hosted on multiple nodes, even if one node is shut down, the rest are still available.
