What's not to like about a technology that promises lower-cost banking and payments; a better way to record and prove asset ownership; immediate, fraud-free election results; irrefutable authenticity verification; and connected devices using smart contracts to liaise? These — and more — promises are made for blockchain, the technology best known as the basis for Bitcoin. But how realistic are those claims? How close are they to becoming reality? This report guides CIOs on how to assess the potential of blockchain technology and what actions to take today.