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Smart Contract

August 22, 2026 · Aditya Gupta

Crypto & Blockchain

A smart contract is self-executing code on a blockchain that automatically enforces agreement terms when conditions are met. Originated on Ethereum; supported by other blockchains (Solana, Cardano, Avalanche). Use cases: token issuance, decentralized exchanges, lending protocols, governance, NFTs, escrow, prediction markets, identity verification. Once deployed, smart contracts cannot be modified (with rare exceptions via upgrade patterns). This immutability creates security but also risk — bugs in deployed contracts can drain millions instantly (DAO hack 2016 lost $60M; subsequent hacks have lost billions). Auditing firms (Trail of Bits, OpenZeppelin) review contracts before deployment.

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