What Is the “Double-Spending” Problem in Digital Currencies?

The double-spending problem is the risk that a digital currency can be spent more than once. Unlike physical cash, digital information can be easily duplicated.

Without a central authority to verify transactions, a user could send the same digital coin to two different recipients simultaneously. Blockchains solve this by using a decentralized, public ledger.

All transactions are broadcast to the network and confirmed in blocks, creating a transparent and immutable history that prevents the same funds from being used twice.