Big Blockchain Adopters of September

September has been a simply remarkable month when it came to announcements regarding blockchain, being it an adoption or a move into the sphere. It even got to the point that we have been seeing not just one big and proud announcement but a few pop up every day. Below is the list of the largest entities that have made significant blockchain-related breakthroughs:

We started the month with Walmart announcing that they will deploy blockchain to allow for drones communication:

The American retail giant Walmart is planning to implement blockchain for managing drones that deliver goods. This was stated in a company’s patent application recently filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. In the document, Walmart describes a system that links drones to each other.

China was also in the headlines that day as the largest bank has announced that it will utilize the blockchain:

Chairman of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) said that the bank will focus on developing blockchain technology, a local media BiaNews reported. The bank will also concentrate on developing new directions for "smart banking". This technology will help to improve service in the financial ecosystem and protect the important data that is provided to third parties.

Istanbul Stock Exchange announced it will switch to blockchain to store data:

Turkish state exchange Borsa Istanbul (BIST) has developed its own blockchain for customer data storage. The following announcement was made Wednesday morning on the exchange’s website. The blockchain platform that will store the new customers’ data and share documents in a decentralized network was created by the BIST’s IT department.

It is also aimed to provide Know Your Customer (KYC) standards, register new customers and secure exchange of information and documents on a "fast, reliable and transparent platform."

Singapore Airlines have unveiled the first airline loyalty scheme based on blockchain:

The first airline blockchain loyalty scheme has been created by KPMG in cooperation with Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Microsoft.

Members of the program will be able to instantly exchange their KrisFlyer miles into KrisPay tokens, which they can later be used to purchase products from participating retailers. This innovative solution is not only a means for existing SIA flyers to utilize their miles, but also a way of attracting new partners, and implementing blockchain technology.

And then the world of football got involved as the French football champions PSG announced that they will issue a fan token:

One of the most famous football clubs in France and Word, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will launch its own token in cooperation with Socios. It will be called Fan Token Offering. Holders of the tokens among fans of the club will get the right to vote. In particular, using symbolic coins, fans will be able to take part in voting, VIP-events or receive rewards. Also, fans will have the opportunity to choose the dates of friendly matches, summer tours, charity compositions, the design of the team's clothes, music, the stadium logo and so on.

Over to Japan where Softbank said it will replace SMS with a blockchain service:

Japanese telecom giant Softbank has launched a blockchain-based service, which allows clients to make mobile P2P payments through different mobile operators.

The system was created for several purposes at once. On the one hand, it is designed to replace the traditional SMS messaging system. Users will also be able to send funds stored in their wallets in the RCS system from one operator's network to another in a P2P mode, which would be especially useful when traveling abroad.

And then they started coming in thick and fast as Tezos have launched their own Mainnet:

The Tezos Foundation which is behind the 18th largest digital currency by market capitalization have issued a press release announcing the official launch of their mainnet. After the bumpy ride that the foundation went through, it is good to see that their efforts were not in vain and that the mainnet has been successfully launched.

Then the Malaysian government has announced it will strengthen its economy with a blockchain:

Malaysia plans to introduce distributed ledger technology (DLT) in three largest industries. The blockchain will be used in renewable energy, palm oil industry and Islamic finance. The government hopes to strengthen these sectors in particular and the entire economy of the country as a whole through the introduction of technical innovations. The Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) will oversee the implementation of blockchain. It will guarantee that each industry receives its benefits from the use of technology.

Also on the same day, one of the largest U.S. Bank - PNC said it has launched blockchain-based cross-border payments using Ripple technology.

PNC, among the top-10 largest U.S. banks in terms of assets, entered into an agreement with Ripple on the use of a payment solution for cross-border transfers called xCurrent. According to Ripple's senior VP, Asheesh Birla, the initial stage of technology testing was successfully completed; the first customers from San Francisco were able to use the service. However, for some time the bank will receive only incoming transactions through xCurrent.

And then came the Juventus bombshell, not the Ronaldo signing, but the launch of a fan token, similar to PSG’s:

First, the club led the headlines by signing Ronaldo and now by becoming one of the first football clubs to issue a fan token. Excellent news for 340 million supporters of Juventus around the world as the Turin football club announced its partnership with the Socios.com platform and presents plans to launch a Juventus Official Fan Token.

On the same day, Dubai have struck a deal to implement a blockchain payment system:

As was reported by UAE’s internet mass media Zawya, the Dubai Department of Finance (DoF) concluded a strategic partnership with the tech company Smart Dubai Office (SDO) to deliver a payment system powered by blockchain. It would enable real-time processing of payments and expedite government transactions.

The second piece of news off the Walmart shelf came when the retailer opted for a blockchain system for it’s supplies:

Retail corporation Walmart has joined forces with the technological giant IBM to solve problems of food safety. The company also announced that all of its vegetable suppliers should send their data to a common blockchain-based tracking system by September 2019.

The technology that the company intends to introduce will allow to scan the packaging and find out where the food was produced. Thus, the blockchain will be able to secure buyers.

U.S. telecoms giant AT&T said it created a business oriented blockchain platform:

A leading telecommunications company in the U.S. market AT&T introduced a set of blockchain-based solutions for various areas. The platform is designed for companies in a range of fields including supply chain management, industry, retail and healthcare.

The blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) platform from AT&T can be used to track the supply chain of goods from the manufacturer to the consumer. It can also be used by retailers to manage inventory and health care providers who need confidentiality when working with patient data.

Also a German car manufacturer Porsche said it will invest in blockchain:

Sports and luxury car manufacturer is going to invest in blockchain and other cutting-edge technologies. As was stated in the Porsche press release, for the next five years the company is going to increase its investment in venture capital activities by 150 million euros in order to gain access to the benefits of new technologies and business models.

The final headline for the month came from the Sierra Leone as the country announced it will open a first blockchain credit office:

The country’s President, Julius Maada Bio, announced the new system during the U.N. General Assembly. According to Maada Bio, the initiative aims to substantially change local economy. Non-profit Kiva, the U.N. Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), and the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) are the partners of the project.

According to representatives of Kiva, Sierra Leone was chosen because there is only one credit bureau in the republic, serving about 2 thousand people, which is less than 1% of the total population. Moreover, 80% of the citizens of the republic do not have access to banking services.