Microsoft and Intel are backing a new system of reward tokens created by the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA). EEA creates new reward token system The EEA, which sets standards for Ethereum-based blockchain applications in business, shared the developments in a statement with Cointelegraph on Oct. 7. The organization said that it has created a new system of reward tokens that has the support of both software giants. The EEA is a blockchain consortium with over 450 enterprise business members such as Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, Santander, Accenture, ING, Intel and Cisco. Its newly created token aims to incentivize and reward companies …

The Global Currency Organization (GCO) is launching a new U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin, dubbed the USD Digital (USDD). The new product was announced in an Oct. 1 news release shared with Cointelegraph. GCO, a new project led by former employees of JPMorgan, Intel and TrustToken, said that it plans to make the stablecoin model available to a worldwide network of partners, to focus on the possibility for end users to move between cryptocurrencies and fiat. The San Francisco-based team said that they decided to launch the organization “to focus on bridging the gap between traditional and decentralized finance.” Joe Vellanikaran, CEO …

Electronics giant Samsung filed for a patent in May 2019 titled, “Programmable Blockchain Solid State Drive and Switch.” Even though few details are known about the newly designed system, a surge in patent applications filed by large corporations on blockchain is clearly visible. Related: Bank of America’s Blockchain Foray: Patent Trolling or Hedging Risks? Patent wars — i.e., battles between corporations or individuals to secure patents for litigation — are certainly not new. They have been widely practiced in the tech ecosystem since the times of Alexander Graham Bell at the turn of the 20th century, who was involved in …

Tech giant IBM has tripled the number of blockchain patents secured in the United States since last year, currently boasting over 100 active patent families. That makes IBM’s growth in US patents the largest of last year, according to a report by crypto-related news site BeinCrypto on July 16. According to data gathered by Yuval Halevi, co-founder of crypto and blockchain PR company GuerillaBuzz, IBM’s number of active patent families dwarfs other notable corporations. This includes some primary tech companies, such as Intel, Microsoft, and Dell Technologies: “In just 1 year the number of IBM blockchain patents has grown by …

Global tech giant Intel has co-sponsored a new blockchain programming project by major blockchain tech firm Hyperledger, according to a Forbes report on July 3. Officially released on June 27, Hyperledger Transact is a new tool that aims to boost the compatibility of blockchain networks by providing a standard interface, or a shared software library for smart contracts execution. Michael Reed, Intel's blockchain program director, said in an interview with Forbes that the main purpose of the company's efforts in blockchain development is to ensure that distributed ledger technology solutions “run well on Intel silicon.” Reed noted that the company …

Member-driven blockchain standards organization the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) has released two new specifications aiming to accelerate and enhance blockchain implementation for enterprises. The news was shared with Cointelegraph in two press releases on May 13. The EEA, which counts over 500 members, describes itself as a “standards organization whose charter is to develop open, blockchain specifications that drive harmonization and interoperability.” EEA members include global consulting firm Accenture, banks Santander and JPMorgan Chase, blockchain incubator ConsenSys, Big Four auditor EY, tech giants Intel, Microsoft and IBM and blockchain consortium R3. One of today’s newly-released specifications is a set of …

Researchers have re-engineered the Hyperledger Fabric to support almost seven times more transactions per second (TPS), according to a May 2 news release from Canada’s University of Waterloo. A new series of optimizations increased the volume of data that the blockchain — used by financial institutions, IT giants and engineering companies — can process. Where it formerly maxed out around 3,000 TPS, the researchers claim they managed to achieve 20,000 TPS. The university’s work focused on improving “end-to-end transaction throughput” by redesigning Fabric’s ordering service, transaction service and data management layer. This means that the blockchain is more practical for …

The Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) has launched a blockchain-neutral Token Taxonomy Initiative in partnership with major firms, according to a press release from EEA on April 17. The initiative will seek to define tokens in non-technical and cross-industry terms in a bid to drive enterprise token adoption at scale. The EEA describes itself “a member-driven standards organization whose charter is to develop open, blockchain specifications that drive harmonization and interoperability.” Members of the initiative reportedly include global consulting firm Accenture, major banks Santander and JPMorgan Chase, blockchain incubator ConsenSys, Big Four auditor EY, tech giants Intel, Microsoft and IBM, blockchain …

United States cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has become the only cryptocurrency business to make it into LinkedIn’s list of the most popular companies for 2019, results confirmed on April 3. The yearly rundown, which ranks company popularity among employees, placed Coinbase at 35 out of a total of 50 shortlisted. LinkedIn ranks contenders according to interest in the company, employee engagement by executives, demand for available jobs and employee retention rate. Different lists are issued for different countries, with Coinbase correspondingly appearing in the U.S. edition. The exchange has previously made it onto LinkedIn lists, such as in September last year, …

Singapore government-backed blockchain accelerator Tribe has gained BMW and Intel as two major strategic partners, local English-language technology news outlet Tech In Asia reported on March 22. Tribe, which began operations late last year, is the brainchild of Tri5 Ventures, a venture capital firm aiming to support later-stage startups. Existing partners of the scheme include PwC and South Korean blockchain network Icon Foundation. Now, both BMW and Intel will provide expertise to the startups selected for support. The car giant will focus on the mobility industry, while Intel will share knowledge gained through its activities in the blockchain and cryptocurrency …

Intel has launched a commercial blockchain package based on the Hyperledger ecosystem, according to marketing materials published on Feb. 12. Intel, which is a member of the Hyperledger collaboration — hosted by the Linux Foundation along with IBM and other major financial institutions — has announced that its new product is designed for businesses that want to launch their own blockchain fast and effectively. The ecosystem will be based on the Hyperledger Fabric — a foundation for developing applications or solutions with a modular architecture. At the same time, the product will use Intel’s hardware, such as Xeon processors and …

2018 has been a difficult year for Bitcoin and crypto miners. Some of the largest multi-billion dollar businesses in Asia recorded losses in the range of hundreds of millions of dollars. As Japanese internet conglomerate GMO and the industry’s largest mining equipment manufacturer, Bitmain, reportedly struggled throughout the year, the entire sector is said to have ended the year with significant losses, following the trend of the two companies. $320 million loss for GMO GMO, one of the most influential internet companies in Japan, recorded a loss of over $320 million in the fourth quarter of 2018. Following what the …