Blockchain technology has revolutionized various industries by providing a decentralized and secure platform for peer-to-peer transactions. Initially popularized by cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, blockchain has expanded its applications to finance, supply chain management, healthcare, and governance. This paper provides a comprehensive review of blockchain technology, covering its fundamental concepts, architecture, applications, challenges, future trends, and potential impacts on the global economy. Key topics include types of blockchains, smart contracts, scalability issues, security concerns, regulatory challenges, and emerging use cases integrating AI and IoT. By analyzing current literature and case studies, this review aims to highlight blockchain's transformative potential and ongoing innovations in shaping digital ecosystems worldwide.

Blockchain technology, decentralized ledger, smart contracts, cryptocurrency, supply chain management, healthcare, governance, scalability, security, regulatory challenges, AI integration, IoT applications