Verifying the authenticity of a fine art work has become almost the raison d’être of the art world itself. Without either, an art work can be entirely worthless. For instance, in this year’s respected Hiscox Online Art Trade Report, “Certificates of Authenticity and Condition Reports” are the top two services people want when buying art and collectibles online. But with the rise of the Blockchain — a decentralised permanent ledger — verifying the truth of something has come within reach of just about anything. Startups such as Monegraph and Ascribe are entering this space both for the opportunity in the art world and for the wider platform play of ascribing authenticity to any image.

http://techcrunch.com/2015/07/07/verisart-plans-to-use-the-blockchain-to-verify-the-authencity-of-artworks/