Name-brand food and telecommunications conglomerates recently announced that they have joined a pilot program to test whether blockchain technology can provide end-to-end supply chain transparency for digital ad spend. The Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS), a British United digital ad trading standards body, developed the pilot that was first announced in May.

Late last week, the fifth-largest oil and gas company in the world invested in New York blockchain startup LO3. LO3's Ethereum-based platform, Exergy, aims to facilitate markets for locally produced energy, like windmills or solar panels, where individuals can verify the energy they purchased came from those sources. According to reports, the platform will require tokens; and while LO3's ICO plans are on hold, the oil and gas investor has the option to convert its investment into tokens when Exergy is launched.

According to a crypto media outlet, a major global technology company has increased its blockchain-related patents by more than 300% this year, with 108 active patent families. In other news, a multinational automation company is reportedly investigating enterprise use cases for blockchain technology, particularly permissioned blockchains, in areas including mobility, supply chain and manufacturing.

A new research report revealed that while blockchain and the self-sovereign identity movement are experiencing an average yearly growth of 35%, less than 10% of dedicated identity apps are expected to use blockchain by 2023. Another recent report projects that the global blockchain and healthcare market will reach more than $1.7 billion in value by 2026.

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