Which term best describes a shared, unalterable ledger used to record transactions and track assets through a supply chain or business network?

• A. Blockchain
• B. Consignment
• C. Lot Price
• D. Per-carat Price

Answer: (A)

A shared, unalterable ledger that records transactions and tracks assets across a supply chain is described by blockchain. In blockchain, the ledger is distributed among many participants, and data are stored in linked blocks secured by cryptographic hashes. This setup makes past records tamper-evident because altering one record would require changing every copy and gaining consensus from the network. The consensus mechanism ensures that only valid transactions are added, creating a transparent, auditable trail from origin to destination. This traceability is especially valuable for proving provenance and ethical sourcing in complex supply chains, such as gemstones moving from mine to market. Consignment refers to a sales arrangement, not a ledger; lot price and per-carat price are pricing terms, not methods of recording and tracking transactions.