Receipt Timestamping

Definition ∞ Receipt timestamping is the process of recording the precise time at which a transaction or data event was received or processed by a system. In blockchain contexts, this often refers to the timestamp embedded within a block that confirms the inclusion of specific transactions. Accurate and verifiable timestamping is essential for establishing the chronological order of events and for auditing purposes. It provides an unalterable record of when an action occurred.
Context ∞ Receipt timestamping is a fundamental aspect of blockchain security and data integrity, frequently discussed in news related to proof-of-work mining or transaction finality. The reliability of timestamps can be critical for smart contract execution, dispute resolution, and compliance. Debates sometimes arise regarding the exact precision and potential manipulation of timestamps within certain blockchain architectures.