Once you have decided blockchain fits your problem, the next question is which kind of blockchain? The choice directly affects security, cost, speed and even the project's legal model.
Public blockchain
Anyone can run a node, send transactions and take part in consensus. Examples: Bitcoin, Ethereum and TON.
- Pros: maximum decentralisation and censorship resistance, full transparency, a large ecosystem of wallets and tools.
- Cons: variable fees, throughput limits, public data and dependence on the network's governance.
Private blockchain
One organisation controls the nodes and who may participate.
- Pros: high speed, controllable fees, data privacy and the ability to meet internal requirements.
- Cons: trust in a central operator; in practice it is closer to a distributed database.
Consortium blockchain
A group of organisations operates the nodes together — several banks, or several companies in a supply chain.
- Pros: a balance between performance and decentralisation, trust distributed among known members.
- Cons: governance complexity, agreeing on membership and upgrade rules.
Comparison table
| Criterion | Public | Consortium | Private |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation | Open | Approved members | One organisation |
| Speed | Medium | High | Very high |
| Privacy | Low | Configurable | High |
| Decentralisation | High | Medium | Low |
| Transaction cost | Variable | Low | Very low |
A third way: a dedicated fork of a public chain
A practical approach is to run a dedicated network based on the code of a mature public blockchain. With KMT Chain, a TON-compatible fork, we reused the TON ecosystem's tooling, token standard and wallet-connection protocols while keeping full control over fees, token economics and infrastructure.
Summary
- If public transparency and independence matter to you: public
- If several peer organisations must trust a shared ledger: consortium
- If you run a single ecosystem that needs speed and control: private or a dedicated fork
