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June 14, 2026
The Dispatch

Definition

Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)

Distributed Ledger Technology is the broad class of systems where a shared record of transactions is maintained across multiple nodes without a single central authority; blockchain is one type.

DLT refers to any database that is replicated and synchronised across multiple sites or participants, with no single controlling administrator. Blockchain is the most familiar form, but other DLT designs exist that do not chain data into blocks.

DLT can be public (open to anyone, like Bitcoin's) or permissioned (restricted to vetted participants, common in enterprise and financial-market uses). Regulators and exchanges study DLT for settlement, record-keeping and reducing reconciliation.

In India, market infrastructure and banks explore permissioned DLT for areas like trade finance and settlement, separate from the speculative crypto-asset market. This entry is informational.

Related terms

  • BlockchainA blockchain is a shared, append-only digital ledger where transactions are grouped into cryptographically linked blocks, making records hard to alter without consensus.
  • Web3Web3 is a vision of an internet built on blockchains where users own their data, identity and assets through tokens and wallets rather than relying on centralised platforms. This is informational.
  • Smart ContractA smart contract is self-executing code on a blockchain that automatically carries out agreed actions when conditions are met, without an intermediary. This is informational, not advice.

Plain-English explainer from The Dispatch Investors Encyclopedia. General information, not financial advice.