Walt Disney started developing its own blockchain back in 2014. The project was named Dragonchain, and it was assumed that this would be a corporate solution for inventory management. With it, the multimedia giant planned to digitize all its assets and relationships with partners and customers. That is, all the property - from Disneyland to Mickey Mouse.
However, in 2016, something went wrong and the company decided to abandon the project by opening its source code for general use. Shortly thereafter, the project developers left Walt Disney and founded the non-profit organization Dragonchain Foundation, Oracle Blockchain Platform. Corporate blockchain solution sharpened by financial, commercial and administrative business processes.
IBM Blockchain Platform. Hyperledger Fabric blockchain-based platform that has products for supply chains, personal identification, inventory management, and several other solutions.
Amazon Managed Blockchain. The platform simplifies and accelerates the development and launch of networks based on Hyperledger Fabric and Ethereum blockchains. It has its own Amazon QLDB centralized solution for enterprise tasks.
# 3. GSBN: Cargo shipping
Scheme of the cargo movement in the supply chain on the blockchain GSBN
Member organizations: Shipping COSCO SHIPPING Lines, Yang Ming, CMA CGM, OOCL and Evergreen Marine. Terminal Operators PSA International Pte Ltd, DP World, Hutchison Ports, Shanghai International Port Group and others. Technical Partner - CargoSmart.
Project status: at the testing stage. After launch, GSBN will account for about 32% of the shipping freight market.
Sources: CargoSmart.ai.
The Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN) is a consortium of nine leading sea carriers and terminal operators, established on November 6, 2018. The consortium participants intend to jointly develop a blockchain platform and set standards to facilitate the smooth exchange of documents and data at all stages of the delivery life cycle. The pilot project was launched in December 2018.
Similar cases:
- TradeLens. Blockchain platform for managing logistics and supply chains. Developed by Maersk and IBM in the summer of 2018. The project involves 100 major sea carriers and port operators. Now TradeLens serves about 30% of the shipping market.
- VeChain. Chinese BaaS platform, sharpened by the creation of networks for managing logistics and supply chains. VeChain use Renault, BMW, H & M Group, DNV-GL and other famous brands.
- Walmart. A network retailer uses blockchain to track food in the supply chain - from the farmer to the shelf in the store.
# 4. Facebook: Currency and data management
Mark Zuckerberg delivers a keynote speech at the Facebook developer conference in San Jose
Member organizations: Facebook, Inc.
Project status: Facebook uses the blockchain to run cryptocurrency and data identification systems. Both projects are under development. Pilot projects will be demonstrated at the end of the summer of 2019.
Sources: Forbes.com.
In February 2019, Mark Zuckerberg, in an interview with Harvard University Law School Professor Jonathan Zittrain, said that Facebook was “potentially interested” in developing a blockchain solution for identifying users via Facebook Connect. At the same time, the system should work in such a way that users can choose which applications and organizations provide their own identification and personal data.
It is also known that Facebook plans to launch its own cryptocurrency, which is likely to be integrated with WhatsApp. The development of FBCoin (the unofficial name of the Facebook coin) is led by David Markus, who previously held the post of president of PayPal.
Similar cases:
- R3 CEV. Platform for interbank cash transactions developed by JP Morgan with the participation of Royal Bank of Canada and ANZ based on the Quorum blockchain.
- Gram. Cryptocurrency messenger Telegram based on its own Telegram Open Network (TON). More than $ 2.5 billion was raised for the project. According to media reports, the launch is planned in the second half of 2019.
- Ripple. Cryptocurrency platform for servicing interbank payments.
# 5. Nasdaq: Tokenization of the securities market
The history of the blockchain Nasdaq development
Member organizations: Nasdaq, SIX Swiss, SEB, Symbiont and other.
Project status: There is a global idea on tokenization of the entire securities market. Three projects have been implemented so far: LINQ, Tallinn and the solution for Swedish mutual funds.
Sources: Hackernoon.com.
In 2015, Nasdaq introduced the LINQ platform, through which private companies can search for private investors by issuing and selling securities and other assets that give joint ownership. The first LINQ users were ChangeTip, Synack, Chain.com, PeerNova, Synack, Vera and Tango.
In the same year, the Nasdaq created an application for its Estonian unit that will allow members to vote and appoint proxies. The project was named Tallinn. With it, participants in business processes can reduce management costs by making online voting easier and more reliable.
In 2017, Nasdaq, together with SEB, conducted tests of blockchain solutions for tokenization of securities, developed for Swedish mutual funds. The solution was developed with the technical partnership of Symbiont.
Similar cases:
- Jakarta Futures Exchange (JFX). The exchange together with Kinesis is working on a solution for the tokenization of valuable metals (gold, silver).
- Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). In partnership with a start-up distributed Digital Asset has created a system for processing post-trading operations.
- Bithumb Korea Exchange. A blockchain start-up to develop an off-exchange solution that will enable small companies to issue and trade in securities has been launched.
# 6. Apple: Timestamp certification system
Steve Wozniak talks about blockchain at the ChainXchange 2018 congress
Member organizations: Apple.
Project status: Temporary patent.
Sources: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
In 2017, Apple filed a patent for the use of blockchain technology in a program that will create and verify timestamps. According to the description, this program can be used to certify digital signatures and fight hackers.
# 7. Siemens: Tokenization of the electricity market
Lawrence Orsini, founder and CEO of LO3 Energy, on the roof of his own house in Brooklyn. Against the background of solar panels connected to the Brooklyn Microgrid
Member organizations: LO3 Energy, Siemens, Digital Grid and 47 more companies.
Project status: At the development stage. In 2019, a “simulation” electricity market will be launched. Access to network testing is free for all Brooklyn residents. More than 400 households are already participating in the project.
Sources: Brooklyn.energy.
The Brooklyn start-up LO3 Energy, with a technical partnership with Siemens, developed a system of electrical microgrids, the participants of which will be able to sell excess electricity to their neighbors. You can get energy for sale as you please, but the focus is on solar electricity. The platform is called Brooklyn Microgrid.
The system uses TAG-e G2 computing devices to connect to an intelligent electricity meter and transfer data on electricity consumption or generation to the blockchain platform. That is, if you connect a solar panel and it produces more electricity than you currently consume, it will be sold to neighbors. The blockchain platform is responsible for handling these processes and financial calculations.
Similar cases:
- Centrica. The largest electricity supplier in the UK in collaboration with the startup LO3 Energy launched a platform similar to the Brooklyn Microgrid project.
- Tokyo Electric Power. The Japanese electricity supplier has also developed a blockchain network for selling excess electricity. The platform is called Electron.
- RWE. The German energy giant in the technical partnership Slock.it launched a project, sharpened under the charging system of electric cars.
# 8. Visa: Processing Cross-Border Payments
Visa B2B Connect platform simplifies cross-border financial transactions in up to 3 steps
Member organizations: Visa and IBM. The product was tested by banks Commerce Bank (USA), Shinhan Bank (South Korea), Union Bank (Philippines), United Overseas Bank (Singapore).
Project status: At the testing stage. The official launch was scheduled for the first quarter of 2019.
Sources: Usa.visa.com.
In 2016, Visa announced the start of work on a system for corporate cross-border transfers, which was called B2B Connect. With this solution, banks and other financial institutions will be able to digitally identify counterparties and process payment transactions in three steps. It's easier, cheaper and faster than ordinary banking transactions.
Similar cases:
- Mastercard. The company received two patents. One describes a blockchain network for processing “pass-through transactions”: you pay for a merchandise store, the store pays your supplier, and that to the manufacturer. The second application describes a multicurrency blockchain platform.
# 9 We.Trade: Digital trading platform for banks and enterprises
Main members of the We.Trade network in Europe
Member organizations: HSBC, Deutsche Bank, Société Générale, KBC, Nordea, Natixis, Rabobank, Santander, UniCredit and IBM Technical Partner.
Project status: The launch of the platform took place in the summer of 2018. In early 2019, We.Trade became available to a wide range of users.
Sources: We.Trade.
In January 2017, a group of seven large European banks, jointly with IBM, established Digital Trade Chain, a venture capital firm, to work on the We.Trade project. The solution based on the blockchain technology, focused on small and medium businesses, should connect the parties involved in the trade transaction: sellers, buyers, carriers and banks.
In the summer of 2018, Digital Trade Chain announced the start of network testing and the first successful cross-border operation. In early 2019, the official launch of the project. This product is now available for commercial use in 11 European countries.
