Permissioned Blockchain
Also known as: Private Blockchain, Restricted Ledger, Enterprise Blockchain
A blockchain where access to participation or data is restricted to approved entities.
A permissioned blockchain is a type of distributed ledger where access to network participation—such as reading data, writing transactions, or validating blocks—is limited to pre-approved nodes. These systems are often used by enterprises, governments, or consortia that need control over network governance, data confidentiality, and compliance. Permissioned blockchains contrast with permissionless ones like Bitcoin or Ethereum, which are open to anyone. Examples include Hyperledger Fabric, R3 Corda, and Quorum. They offer faster throughput and more predictable performance, but trade off decentralization for efficiency.