Brazilian meat processor JBS to use blockchain technology for Amazon conservation

JBS S.A. has announced it is using blockchain technology for confidentiality and security of livestock transportation data as part of a wider program for conservation in the Amazon.

The Brazilian company, cited as the largest meat processing company in the world by sales, unveiled a program called 'Together for the Amazon', which features four pillars in total.

The first pillar, development of the value chain, concentrates on the JBS Gren Platform, is where the...

20 October 2020 | Supply Chain

Lisa Butters, GM, GoDirect Trade: How Honeywell is banking on blockchain for aerospace

It may be a surprise to learn - given the data-driven world in which we now live - how much the aerospace industry doesn't know about its planes. Much of the information around a plane's history and condition are on multiple systems, including paper-based ones, making transparency and traceability difficult.

A PwC report outlines the rationale. "The data showing a plane's history and condition are spread across up to 40 systems, in the hands of multiple parties who may be...

19 October 2020 | Enterprise

PwC: Blockchain technologies could boost global economy to tune of $1.7 trillion by 2030

A new analysis from PwC estimates blockchain technologies could spark a $1.7 trillion boost in the global economy by 2030 - with the UK set to benefit to the tune of £57 billion ($72bn).

The findings come from a report which is part of a series exploring the economic impact and use cases for emerging technologies. PwC said its analysis 'showed the potential for blockchain to support organisations in how they rebuild and reconfigure their operations', particularly in the...

13 October 2020 | Banking

Cryptowisser notes 75 crypto exchanges fell in 2020 as ‘unique edge’ now required

Ever wanted a repository for crypto exchanges that are no longer with us? Crypto services reviewer Cryptowisser has its Exchange Graveyard - and a stark warning about how 2020 has affected exchanges globally.

According to the company, 75 crypto exchanges have passed on this year, whether they voluntarily shut down, were hacked, or were otherwise missing in action. The earliest were DFlow, The PIT and WCX, who turned their toes up on the first day of the year, while the most recent...

12 October 2020 | Bitcoin

KPMG reveals idea for blockchain tool to help measure greenhouse gas emissions

KPMG has announced the launch of a blockchain-based offering intended to help organisations more accurately measure and offset greenhouse gas emissions.

The patent-pending capability, known as Climate Accounting Infrastructure (CAI), will integrate a company's existing systems, including IoT sensors, with external data sources to establish a verifiable data trial of emissions recorded on blockchain.

The professional services firm is working with a variety of partners to...

9 October 2020 | Energy

Estonia’s central bank launches research project to assess digital currency

The Bank of Estonia (Eesti Pank) is launching a multi-year research project to assess the suitability of its e-Government technology in operating a central bank digital currency.

The initiative, in collaboration with the technology companies Guardtime, the long-term blockchain partner of the Estonian government, and The SW7 Group, will focus on a solution based on the KSI Blockchain, a core technology of e-government in Estonia.

The project will also examine new payment...

6 October 2020 | Banking

Bitpanda secures $52 million series A funding for further European expansion

Bitpanda, a financial marketplace for digital and blockchain-based assets, has secured $52 million (£40.1m) in series A funding to help scale and build its presence in new European markets.

The Austria-based platform provider, which offers brokerage for Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin among others, has expanded to France, Spain and Turkey in 2020, looking further afield for this year and next. The company claims to be doubling revenue annually, with more than 1.3 million...

5 October 2020 | Banking

Ripple: How cryptocurrency can be a viable route to sustainability for financial technology

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, countries under full lockdown have experienced an average 25% decline in energy demand per week. Encouragingly, non-renewable sources of energy like oil and coal declined in usage nearly 20% as curtailment in commercial operations took hold.

However, projections from McKinsey suggest these positive developments could be dismantled by an increase in demand for digital technology - especially digital payments, which are expected to grow by...

1 October 2020 | Banking

Ripple pushes for carbon net-zero by 2030, urges all crypto players to be ‘accountable’

Ripple has announced a commitment to be carbon net-zero by 2030, claiming to be the first blockchain company to do so - and has put together partnerships to help achieve it.

The company is partnering with conservation organisations Rocky Mountain Institute and REBA, as well as the Energy Web Foundation, to help 'ensure fintech is sustainable' - a goal Ripple says is 'critical.'

The collaboration with Energy Web Foundation has seen Ripple co-create EW Zero, an open source...

1 October 2020 | Blockchain

EY ramps up blockchain offering with procurement and visualisation tools

EY (Ernst & Young) has continued its blockchain momentum with two new releases of an enterprise network procurement offering and visualisation tool.

The EY OpsChain Network Procurement tool, built on the EY OpsChain platform, will aim to allow companies to run private, secure, end-to-end procurement activities on Ethereum.

"As more and more companies work as part of global business networks, it has become difficult to manage network-level agreements from inside a...

28 September 2020 | Banking