Chinese Tech Giant Baidu Releases ‘Super Chain’ White Paper

Chinese search engine and web services company Baidu has released the Baidu Blockchain White Paper V1.0 on Wednesday, September 26, which describes the development of a “Super Chain” network system.

Baidu Blockchain Lab released the blockchain white paper focused on “the independent development of the ‘Super Chain’ network system.” The paper introduces the idea of commercializing the Baidu cloud blockchain blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) platform in addition to six applications based on the Super Chain; Totem, Degree Universe, Baidu Association, Treasure Chest, Encyclopedia Online, and Hubert.

According to the white paper, Baidu’s Super Chain is more efficient than a traditional blockchain in that performs with a higher degree of hardware utilization. Per Baidu, Super Chain nodes “use multi-core parallel computing to maximize CPU utilization and increase throughput.”

The Super Chain is a stereo network that supports parallel sidechains. There is a root chain, which manages parallel chains and the operating guidelines of the entire network, that supports data exchange with each chain.

The Super Chain operates on what is dubbed a “pluggable consensus mechanism.” Within the network, the Super Chain allows different parallel chains to choose their own consensus mechanisms. It also supports consensus escalation through a voting mechanism.

The white paper states that Baidu will focus on applying the technology in food safety, product quality, new retail, new manufacturing, supply chain finance, intellectual property and trading, travel, tourism and social networking.

Modular services with the Baidu Super Chain will include scenarios in certification, digital rights, clearing and settlement, supply chain finance, digital assets, and games.

In June, the internet search giant revealed its Super Chain protocol in the context of reducing energy consumption in cryptocurrency mining operations.