Back in early 2009, the high-profile journey of the first Bitcoin overshadowed the ingenuity of its underlying technology, the blockchain protocol. These days, however, blockchain is garnering its own share of headlines. Inspired by the original blockchain protocol, a variety of new consensus mechanisms and new types of distributed ledger technologies are continuing to emerge. As innovation accelerates, proponents are eagerly seeking solutions that may work within the current regulatory confines of financial services and other industries.