Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)
DLT is any system where a ledger is replicated and kept in sync across many independent computers.
In depth
Blockchain is the best-known type of DLT, but not the only one — some ledgers use different data structures (like directed graphs) or restrict who can participate. What they share is that no single copy is the "master"; the participants run a protocol to agree on the same state. Enterprise consortia use permissioned DLTs, while public cryptocurrencies use open, permissionless ones.
Why it matters
The term shows up constantly in regulation and enterprise contexts; knowing how it relates to blockchain avoids confusion.