Fact or fiction? Houston blockchain expert addresses common misconceptions

Myth busting

Here are some of the most common, misunderstood aspects about blockchain technology. Getty Images

Blockchain has become one of the most talked about emerging technologies, often mentioned in the same breath as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, Internet of Things, and big data technologies. But as a relatively new technology, it's totally expected that people will not fully comprehend aspects of the technology.

Here are some of the most common, misunderstood aspects about blockchain technology.

1. Blockchain is the same as Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies)

Source of misconception: The first and probably the most common misconception about blockchain is that it is the same as Bitcoin or cryptocurrency in general — and it is not hard to spot where this comes from. Blockchain as a technology became popular almost a decade after the release of the Bitcoin whitepaper. It is very common for people to refer to it as the technology that powers Bitcoin, and while this is totally correct, people forget one important fact — blockchain does a lot more than just enabling Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

The truth about blockchain: A blockchain is basically a decentralized ledger of transactions. It follows therefore that a Bitcoin blockchain will record Bitcoin transactions. However, blockchain can record virtually anything of value, not just cryptocurrency transactions, provided that the data can be represented on the chain. For instance, J.P. Morgan announced last year that it was tokenizing Gold bars via its enterprise blockchain known as Quorum. Blockchain has found applications in healthcare, supply chain, oil and gas, in addition to finance.

2. Cryptocurrencies (and by association blockchain) are used for illegal activities

Source of misconception: Cryptocurrency has a reputation (earned or otherwise) of being closely associated with crimes like ransomware attacks, money laundering, drug trafficking, and dark web activities. This is because cryptocurrency transactions are relatively harder to track, and criminals have used cryptocurrency in the past to perpetuate these activities. This has been blown out of proportion by law enforcement agencies and notable figures like Bill Gates and Jamie Dimon.

The truth about blockchain: Truth is, regular fiat currencies (the US dollar and Euro specifically), and not Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, remain the main medium of sponsoring criminal activities. A Europol report last year confirmed that Bitcoin and other crypto were not used to sponsor terrorism in the region, contrary to widely held opinions. Furthermore, the ratio of illegal to legal activity in Bitcoin has dropped since it became more popular and widely used. Special agent Lilita Infante at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration estimates a drop from 90 percent to 10 percent in the last five years. Actually, banks and other legitimate institutions are adopting blockchain technology for cross-border payment settlements.

3. Blockchain transactions are anonymous

Source of misconception: Again, this comes from a widely held belief that blockchain (actually cryptocurrency) is unregulated. It has been positioned as the antithesis of data-collating centralized systems, and therefore has to be anonymous.

The truth about blockchain: On the contrary, blockchain — especially public blockchains — are open and transparent ledgers that show transactions between different addresses. It's fairly easy to track transactions on a public blockchain using block explorers like Etherscan. Also, KYC requirements at many crypto exchanges make it possible to associate these address with real people. That said, there are privacy-focused blockchains like Z-Cash and Monero which use special cryptographic techniques to shield certain details of transactions.

4. Blockchain will solve all the world’s problems

Source of misconception: Hype. As blockchain technology gained in popularity, so came individuals seeking to apply it to every sector of human endeavor. Likening it to the internet, they created an impression that blockchain can and will address pain points in businesses across all industries. As impressive as it is, blockchain, like every technology before it, has its applications and its limitations.

The truth about blockchain: The extent of blockchain's impact has not yet been fully exploited but it will be preposterous to say that blockchain will solve all the world's woes. Through decentralization, blockchain provides trust, and security thereby removing the need for third parties; this is where its realistic use cases arise. At the moment, issues like scalability need to be addressed for blockchain to become commercially viable.

5. Blockchain applications will work all by themselves, independent of existing technology

Source of misconception: Hype again. On the backs of No. 4, blockchain is sometimes looked at as a standalone, independent technology. Given the hype surrounding blockchain, folks could be forgiven for thinking that the technology will work all by itself, without having to deal with legacy applications and technologies.

The truth about blockchain: Blockchain applications most often must work side by side with other existing technologies and systems, as well as in some cases, with emerging technologies like IoT, AI and others. In the financial sector, for instance, blockchain is incorporated into existing payment systems to facilitate cross-border payment settlements.

6. Blockchain only has application in finance

Source of misconception: This stems from the misconception that blockchain is all about Bitcoin or a new order of currency that will replace fiat.

The truth about blockchain: The fintech sector, more than any other, has adopted blockchain technology since its early days. That said, blockchain applications are spreading across various industries. In addition to the ones mentioned previously, projects like MedRec, PowerLedger, and Vakt are adopting blockchain in healthcare, energy, and the oil and gas industries, respectively.

7. Blockchain is the same as Cloud

Source of misconception: Both are internet-based technologies and involves access to data from different devices, but that's as similar as they get. Cloud service providers like Amazon are introducing enterprise blockchain solutions to cloud-based services.

The truth about blockchain: As a shared ledger, blockchain data is not stored on a central set of servers as is the case with cloud services. Also unlike cloud storage, blockchain doesn't usually hold actual physical information like pdf files rather it makes a record of its existence.

8. Blockchain is a single technology

Source of misconception: This comes from the likening of blockchain to the internet. As there is one internet, some people erroneously believe that there is a single blockchain.

The truth about blockchain: There are several blockchain networks — both private and public. While Bitcoin blockchain is the biggest blockchain, there are other public blockchains like Ethereum and Litecoin as well as private blockchains based on Hyperledger.

While these misconceptions are still prevalent within and outside the blockchain community, efforts are underway to dispel these myths. Education and an open dialog is key in such cases. Those within the blockchain community need to make a concerted effort to truly listen to what those outside are saying. Solution providers also need to understand the business, its issues and pain points, and propose the correct solution, whether blockchain-based or not. Blockchain technology is still in its infancy. Remember when folks did not know what the internet was or when it was nothing but hype? In 20 years or so, we will have a few such stories to laugh at.

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Mahesh Sashital is the founder and chairman of the Houston Blockchain Alliance.

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Houston Methodist awarded $4M grant to recruit head of Neal Cancer Center

new hire

Armed with a $4 million state grant, the Houston Methodist Academic Institute has recruited a renowned expert in ovarian and endometrial cancer research to lead the Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center.

The grant, provided by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, enabled the institute to lure Dr. Daniela Matei away from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. There, she is the Diana Princess of Wales Professor in Cancer Research and chief of the Division of Reproductive Science in Medicine.

Matei will succeed Dr. Jenny Chang, who was hired last year to run the Houston Methodist Academic Institute.

At the Neal Cancer Center, located in the Texas Medical Center complex, oncologists work on innovations in cancer research, treatment, and technology. The center opened in 2021 after the Neals donated $25 million to expand Houston Methodist’s cancer research capabilities. It handles about 7,000 new cases each year involving more than two dozen types of cancer.

U.S. News & World Report puts Houston Methodist Hospital at No. 19 among the country’s best hospitals for cancer care, two spots below Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston sits at No. 1 on the list.

Matei’s research related to ovarian and endometrial cancer holds the potential to benefit tens of thousands of American women. The American Cancer Society estimates:

  • 21,010 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and 12,450 women will die from it.
  • 68,270 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with endometrial cancer, and 14,450 women will die from it.

Matei is leaving Northwestern in the wake of widespread cuts in federal funding for medical research. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has canceled or frozen tens of millions of dollars in grants for Northwestern, the Wall Street Journal reports, and the university has been plugging the gaps with its own money.

“The university is totally keeping us on life support,” Matei told the newspaper last year. “The big question is for how long they can do this.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, Matei’s $5 million NIH grant supporting 69 cancer trials has been caught up in the federal funding chaos, so Northwestern stepped in to cover trial expenses such as nurses’ salaries and diagnostic procedures.

Trial participants include some patients with rare, incurable tumors who are undergoing experimental treatments aligned with the genetics of their condition, the newspaper says.

“It’s certainly a life-and-death situation for cancer patients on these trials,” Matei said in 2025.

Matei is among the beneficiaries of more than $15 million in grants approved February 18 by CPRIT’s board. The grants went toward recruiting five cancer researchers to institutions in Texas.

One of those grants, totaling $1.5 million, went to the University of Houston to recruit Akash Gupta, a research scientist at MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research. The remaining grants went to recruit scientists to The University of Texas at Dallas and The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Rice University lands $14M state grant to open Center for Space Technologies

on a mission

Rice University’s Space Institute soon will be home to the newly created Center for Space Technologies.

On Feb. 17, the Texas Space Commission approved a nearly $14.2 million grant for the Rice project. The Center for Space Technologies will target:

  • Research and development
  • Technology transfer and innovation
  • Statewide partnerships
  • Workforce development training
  • Space-focused education programs

The goal of the new center “is to fulfill an articulated need for research, workforce development, and industry collaboration,” said Kemah communications and marketing executive Gwen Griffin, chair of the commission.

State Rep. Greg Bonnen, a Friendswood Republican, authored the bill that set up the Texas Space Commission.

Since being authorized in 2023, the commission has funded 24 projects, with Rice and Houston-area companies accounting for nearly $75 million in grants to back space-related initiatives.

The grant to Rice brings the TSC's total investment to $150 million, fully committing the entire state appropriation from the Texas Legislature in 2023.

Other local companies that have received grants over the years include Aegis Aerospace, Axiom Space, Intuitive Machines, Starlab Space and Venus Aerospace.

The commission also awarded $7 million to Blue Origin earlier this month. See a list of the 24 awards here.

Waymo self-driving robotaxis have officially launched in Houston

Waymo has arrived

Waymo will begin dispatching its robotaxis in four more cities in Texas and Florida, expanding the territory covered by its fleet of self-driving cars to 10 major U.S. metropolitan markets.

The move into Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Orlando, Florida, announced Tuesday, February 24, widens Waymo's early lead in autonomous driving while rival services from Tesla and the Amazon-owned Zoox are still testing their vehicles in only a few U.S. cities.

In contrast, Waymo's robotaxis already provide more than 400,000 weekly trips in the six metropolitan areas where they have been transporting passengers: Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, and Austin, Texas.

Waymo operates its ride-hailing service through its own app in all the U.S. cities except Atlanta and Austin, where its robotaxis can only be summoned through Uber's ride-hailing service.

The expansion into four more markets marks a significant step toward Waymo's goal to surpass 1 million weekly paid trips by the end of 2026. Without identifying where its robotaxis will be available next, Waymo is targeting a list of eight other cities that include Las Vegas, Washington, Detroit and Boston while signaling its first overseas availability is likely to be London.

To help pay for more robotaxis, Waymo recently raised $16 billion as part of the financial infusion that puts the value of the company at $126 billion. The valuation fueled speculation that Waymo may eventually be spun off from its corporate parent Alphabet, where it began as a secret project within Google in 2009.

Although Waymo is opening up in four more cities, its robotaxis initially will only be made available to a limited number of people with its ride-hailing app in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Orlando before the service will be available to all comers in those markets.

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