privacy on the public blockchain ethereum BCTECH NEWS 

EY Builds World’s First Enterprise Solution to Secure Privacy on the Public Blockchain Ethereum

‘Big Four’ professional services firm, Ernst & Young (EY) has launched its prototype of a groundbreaking enterprise blockchain product that has integrated Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) technology to secure privacy on the public blockchain Ethereum. Entitled ‘EY Ops Chain Public Edition’ (PE), the professional services giant intends to boost the adoption of blockchain technology by negating the need to build or join various permissioned, private networks.  EY’s Global Innovation Leader of Blockchain, Paul Brody stated: “The biggest challenge for enterprises’ blockchain adoption is the ability to on-board business partners into their private or consortium blockchain…

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blockchain identity solutions for government deloitte and attest NEWS REGULATORS 

Deloitte Joins Startup Attest to Push Blockchain Identity Solutions for Governments

The world’s largest professional services network, also known as one of the ‘Big Four’, Deloitte has partnered with blockchain startup company Attest Inc. to develop and push blockchain identity solutions for Governments. According to a press release on Monday by Deloitte, it will collaborate with the Chicago-based blockchain startup to develop a digital identity offering for its impressive list of Governmental clients, based on Attest‘s existing products. Founded in March 2018 by Cab Morris and Jennifer O’Rourke, two former employees of the Illinois State’s governing office, and leaders of its blockchain initiatives, Attest‘s shared…

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interoperable blockchain financial system nasdaq and microsoft FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

Microsoft Partners with Nasdaq to Provide an Interoperable Blockchain Financial System

Global technology giant, Microsoft has revealed that it has cemented a partnership with Nasdaq to provide an interoperable blockchain financial system for traders, via its Azure Blockchain arm. As the world’s second largest stock exchange, Nasdaq has decided it is time to accelerate its blockchain technology capabilities, which it is now doing by integrating Microsoft Azure Blockchain services into the Nasdaq Financial Framework (NFF).  Senior vice president of enterprise architecture at Nasdaq, Tom Fay stated: “from our perspective, Azure is unlocking the power of the blockchain” Launched in 2016, the NFF powers applications and software…

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oracle blockchain supply chain FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

Software Giant Oracle Rolls Out Blockchain Supply Chain Apps Using Hyperledger

One of the world’s biggest software companies, Oracle has released four new blockchain supply chain apps based on Hyperledger Fabric technology, designed to reduce the barriers for businesses to adopt blockchain technology. Integrating nascent technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) with blockchain, Oracle aims to provide increased transparency and improved traceability to supply chain management systems. The new business-ready product entitled ‘Oracle Blockchain Applications Cloud’ provides a suite of applications (apps) that intend to make it easy for businesses to integrate blockchain supply chain systems.  Oracle’s Senior…

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blockchain medical data platform FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

BlackBerry Set to Launch Blockchain Medical Data Platform with Swiss Startup ONEBIO

Global technology giant and former smartphone behemoth, BlackBerry announces the launch of a blockchain medical data platform in partnership with Swiss-based startup ONEBIO. BlackBerry, a company that once controlled 50 percent of the global smartphone marketplace, is now turning its attention to security with the launch of its new Enterprise of Things (EoT) platform BlackBerry Spark. According to a release, together with technology developed by ONEBIO, the new blockchain medical data platform aims to create an “ultra-secure” ecosystem for patients, labs and healthcare providers. Utilising the BlackBerry network operation center (NOC)…

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NEWS REGULATORS 

Ofcom Wins Almost $1 Million to Develop a UK Blockchain Phone Number System

The U.K.’s telecommunications regulatory authority, Office of Communications (Ofcom) has received close to $1 million (£700,000 Sterling) to develop a national blockchain phone number system. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, setup by the government in 2016, has awarded the grant to Ofcom as part of its £10 million Regulators’ Pioneer Fund.  As stated in a press release on Friday, the Business Secretary MP (member of Parliament), Greg Clark said the project will: “further strengthen our regulatory system and ensure that it keeps pace with the innovation and technological…

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FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

Ubisoft Leads $36 billion Gaming Industry to Adopt Blockchain With ConsenSys and New Alliance

One of the worlds largest game publishers, Ubisoft leads the gaming industry to adopt blockchain technology with the newly formed Blockchain Game Alliance (BGA) that includes Ethereum venture studio ConsenSys and a plethora of blockchain gaming companies. Announced at the first-ever Blockchain Game Summit in Lyon, which was sponsored by Ubisoft, the BGA will provide an open forum for knowledge-sharing and collaborative research, creating industry standards and best practices for gaming applications that rely on distributed ledger technology (DLT)  The BGA website states: “Our ultimate goal is to help spread the integration of…

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worlds biggest blockchain consortiums BCTECH NEWS 

Worlds Biggest Blockchain Consortiums Ethereum’s EEA and Hyperledger Join Forces

In an unprecedented move, two of the worlds biggest blockchain consortiums, Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) and Linux Foundation’s Hyperledger Project have joined forces to excel the adoption of blockchain technology in the enterprise sector. Announced in a jointly authored news release by Hyperledger Executive Director, Brian Behlendorf, and EEA Executive Director, Ron Resnick, the two confirmed that they have agreed to collaborate and are formally joining each other’s organisations as Associate Members, stating: “The collaboration between our organisations will further accelerate adoption of blockchain technologies for business.” The EEA, launched in early 2017,…

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FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

AT&T Launches Enterprise Blockchain Solutions With IBM and Microsoft Azure

The world’s largest telecommunications firm, AT&T launches enterprise blockchain solutions in collaboration with technology from IBM Blockchain and Microsoft Azure. According to the announcement on Wednesday, AT&T is offering a suite of blockchain services that have been designed to help businesses automate and digitise processes using blockchain technology. The AT&T news release states that it will be merging the nascent technology with its “edge-to-edge capabilities” such as its Internet of Things (IoT) services to add automation and monitoring, enabling advanced permission-based blockchain supply chain capabilities. Targeting clients within the manufacturing, retail and healthcare industries, the U.S. based…

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jpmorgan blockchain platform to rival r3 FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

75 Major Banks Join JPMorgan Blockchain Platform to Rival R3 and Fintech Startups

More than 75 multinational banks have joined the JPMorgan blockchain platform to rival R3, or any other company outside of the banking sector, in a bid to keep payments ‘in-house’ via the Interbank Information Network (IIN). JPMorgan, the largest bank in the U.S., departed from the R3 consortium after a year’s membership, and together with the Royal Bank of Canada and the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), in October 2017 they began developing the IIN payments platform. Built using JPMorgan’s Ethereum-based private blockchain Quorum, in partnership with development studio EthLab, the…

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Walmart tells suppliers to use IBM blockchain FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

Worlds Largest Retailer Walmart Tells Suppliers to Use IBM Blockchain Food Trust

The world’s largest retailer, both by revenue and by employee count, Walmart tells suppliers to use IBM Blockchain Food Trust platform, beginning with its leafy green producers in the U.S. Announced in a press release on Monday, the mandate which also includes Walmart’s retail warehouse Sam’s Club, requires all relevant suppliers to be fully integrated a year from now, making it one of the biggest commercial uses of blockchain technology. Utilising IBM’s distributed ledger technology that is permission-based, the company aims to expedite the traceability of contaminated foods, Matt Smith…

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FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

UK’s Biggest Port Operator Exploring Blockchain Shipping Solutions Across 21 Ports

UK’s biggest port operator, Associated British Ports begins exploring blockchain shipping solutions across its 21 UK ports, in partnership with logistics software service provider Marine Transport International (MTI). ABP, which carries out 25 percent of the cargo shipments in Great Britain, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MTI to pilot shipments using blockchain technology.  Commercial Director at ABP, Jens Skibsted Nielsen stated: “We handle almost 100 million tons of cargo across all sectors every year, so we are a significant gateway for our customers’ supply chains,” According to a report by the…

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r3 chorum venture studio FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

RBS Blockchain Team Jumps Ship to Start R3 Chorum Venture Studio Project

Members of Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) blockchain team have announced that they are leaving to launch an R3 Chorum venture studio, a project that aims to do for Corda what ConsenSys is doing for Ethereum. Richard Crook, former head of the RBS innovation team has made the move, taking with him engineers Mark Simpson, Ben Wyeth and Farzad Pezeshkpour. Crook and his team were responsible for developing the Cordite token project on R3‘s Corda platform, which RBS led in a bid to create a generic crypto asset blockchain system for the banking…

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bmw selects blockchain startup bloom FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

BMW Selects Blockchain Startup Bloom to Develop Customer Lending Solution

German automotive giant, BMW selects blockchain startup Bloom to develop customer lending solutions with the aim of streamlining its financial services for its customers. Launching a ‘BMW Financial Services Collaboration Lab’ (BMW FSCL), Bloom together with five other start-ups shortlisted from 212 applicants, will collaborate in a 10-week lab at BMW Financial Services’ offices in Hilliard, Ohio, to further develop their ideas, alongside leading subject matter experts in the automotive and financial sectors. The BMW FSCL aims to digitalise the customer journey, critical areas that the the program will focus on…

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NEWS REGULATORS 

Blockchain Browser Brave Files Complaints Against Google Ads Data Collection Practices

Developed by Mozilla co-founder and Javascript creator, Brendan Eich, the blockchain browser Brave files complaints against Google advertisement (ads) data collection practices in the UK and Ireland.   Together with Jim Killock of the Open Rights Group, and Michael Veale of University College London, Brave’s chief policy officer Johnny Ryan filed formal complaints with the Irish Data Protection Commissioner and the U.K. Information Commissioner. Brave, an open-source blockchain browser that blocks ads and website trackers, cited that the way Google and the advertising technology (adtech) industry publish personalised online ads…

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ibm launch a blockchain directory with Hacera FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

Hacera and IBM Launch a Blockchain Directory Touted as a Distributed ‘Yellow Pages’

Enterprise blockchain firm Hacera, together with founding member IBM launch a blockchain directory with the aim of expediting the growth of blockchain networks, by making it easier for companies to discover and join blockchain projects. Entitled the ‘Unbounded Registry’, Vice president at IBM Blockchain, Jerry Cuomo announced in a blog post on Thursday that the directory is now live.  Likening it to the Yellow Pages, he recalled the history and significance of the directory that: “put businesses on the map and made them known to the world”. The registry is able to interoperate…

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enterprise blockchain solutions FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

Technology Giants Intel and SAP Team Up to Develop Enterprise Blockchain Solutions

World famous chip maker, Intel and SAP have joined forces to develop enterprise blockchain solutions to address “gaps in the market”, and potentially become a direct competitor to the Linux Foundation’s Hyperledger and R3’s Corda. According to a post on Intel’s website, the technology giant has teamed up with SAP, the German-based multinational software corporation, to find solutions that power enterprise blockchain systems for easier integration and adoption.  Tim Allen, a strategic relationship manager at Intel wrote: “SAP and Intel’s co-development efforts are geared toward creating superior blockchain technologies and integrating them with new and…

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FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

IBM Blockchain Payments Platform ‘World Wire’ Goes Live Powered by Stellar

The IBM blockchain payments platform has officially been taken out of beta and is now live, entitled ‘Blockchain World Wire’, it is powered by the Stellar network, with whom it has been working with since October 2017. ‘World Wire’ aims to provide financial institutions with ‘a new way to move money’, according to the website it states that it can: “simultaneously clear and settle cross-border payments in near real-time” Essentially, the IBM blockchain payments platform is designed to negate the time heavy and costly intermediary processes that international payments systems have traditionally…

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pwc is launching a blockchain course INFLUENCERS NEWS 

‘Big Four’ PwC is launching a Blockchain Course for 1000 Staff to Meet Clients Needs

One of the worlds ‘Big four‘ professional services firms, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is launching digital training programs for its employees, within which PwC is launching a blockchain course to boost knowledge and meet its clients needs. Set to begin in January, the two-year digital skills course, entitled “Digital Accelerators”, will train 1,000 employees on everything from cleansing data and drones, to blockchain technology and 3D printing. Digital talent leader at PwC and head of the program, Sarah McEneaney explained that PwC clients expect things more digitally in order to control their costs,…

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FTSE / NASDAQ NEWS 

Google Expands Big Data Analytics Tool to Explore Ethereum Blockchain

Internet search giant, Google expands its Big Data analytics tool to explore Ethereum blockchain using BigQuery, a web service that provides interactive analysis of massively large data-sets, powered by Google Storage. Chrome users are now able to access a daily dose of all of the data stored on Ethereum’s blockchain, by way of BigQuery, a new Google plugin that provides visuals and a variety of tools for analysing the Ethereum platform. In a blog post announcement made on Saturday, the tech behemoth explained that until now, there have only been app platforms for checking transaction status or…

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