![Crypto Terms Glossary: What is Public Ledger? Crypto Terms Glossary: What is Public Ledger?](/img/16/1140/what-is-public-ledger-sm.webp)
A public ledger refers to a shared database upon which transactions and associated details are recorded in multiple places simultaneously to facilitate the exchange of specific information and other data. In the blockchain space, a public ledger is generally a permissionless, decentralized protocol maintained by a network of nodes lacking a central authority. The name 'public ledger' comes from an old record-keeping system that was often used to record public information like agricultural commodity prices, news, and analysis.