Microsoft, EY, ConsenSys Team Up With Baseline Protocol / Facebook Libra Changing Course / Brave Browser Leads In Security & Blockchain 50 Data Deep D

March 5, 2020

Jumping right into this week’s edition as once again some mega moves were made within the landscape. The game has changed as Microsoft, EY and ConsenSys announced their initiative, Baseline Protocol, to take on making Ethereum safe for enterprises — watch this closely everyone. With Libra moving forward, Facebook will now offer government-issued currencies like dollars and euros to support its own token. Amazon Web Services (AWS) makes digital assets easier for all (aligned with my 2020 prediction). Brave Browser stands above Chrome, Firefox & Safari has the most secure browser. The Blockdata team provides a full breakdown of Forbes latest Blockchain 50 list. KPMG says crypto custodians have ‘tremendous’ growth potential (get ready for this category to expand in 2020). The Simpsons & Altered Carbon TV shows show us the future has digital currencies. Decrypt announces the launch of its own token. More on the TRON/Steemit relationship, questions DeFi users should be asking DeFi developers, how to build a decentralized social network and Messari’s launches new charting tools. For MORE and to keep you up to speed, here’s a snapshot of the top stories this week around the industry.

BONUS: I recently released the latest Q1 2020 edition of my Blockchain Landscape Map (included below for download) that provides an overview of the industry highlighting over 900 global companies, venture funds, and working groups. If this is the first version you’ve seen of the landscape, consider it your guiding roadmap to further navigate the industry. Get it here in Hi-Res for free! 

?? Microsoft, EY And ConsenSys To Make The Public Ethereum Blockchain Safe For Enterprises

Everything is about to change soon as some of the largest players in the blockchain space like Microsoft, EY and ConsenSys are taking on the public Ethereum blockchain with their initiative called Baseline Protocol. This is a major development in the space because the initiative is taking a completely different approach than previous efforts. In the past, enterprises were looking at the blockchain network mostly as a settlement layer, a place to store the final state of their transactions…read more & check out more by Biser Dimitrov

? Facebook Changing Course on Libra, Offering More Inclusive Wallet

Though Libra is still going forward, Facebook will now offer government-issued currencies like dollars and euros to support its own token. The move appears to be a way to appease reluctant regulators and gain additional support for the plan, still scheduled for a Q4 rollout. According to a Mar. 3 report issued by Bloomberg, both crypto and stated-issued currencies will be available on the company’s digital wallet, Calibra…read more

?? No Blockchain Needed, Digital Asset Integrates With Amazon Web Services

With the increase in the popularity of enterprise blockchain companies, several technology experts are against the idea of decentralization of blockchains, as it is not always needed. Amazon Web Services’ launch of their Quantum Ledger Database (QLDB), is aimed to provide transparent, immutable, and cryptographically verifiable transactions without the need for decentralization or a blockchain. The proven technology has combined the power of DAML and AWS, which became possible through an integration with the Blockchain Technology Partners (BTP) platform called Sextant for DAML.…read more

?? Privacy Study: Brave Browser Smacks Down Chrome, Firefox & Safari

Dr. Douglas Leigth, authored a study comparing Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Yandex in terms of how much personal data they share with backend servers. Brave turned out to be the most private browsers among all compared due to not allowing the tracking of IP address over time and not sharing details of web pages visited. Microsoft Edge and Yandex came in last, as both browsers have persistent hardware identifiers that cannot be revoked, even by reinstalling the browser…read more

?? Human Resources Giant Randstad Explores Blockchain to Quickly Match Talent With Recruiters

Human Resources giant Randstad has started testing a combination of the Cypherium blockchain and Google Cloud to provide a faster, easier way to verify & match the appropriate workforce talent. The move intends to match relevant candidates with companies seeking immediate role fulfillment, such as healthcare services requiring emergency staff…read more

?? Blockchain Storage Offers Security but Leaves Data Transparent

Last year has been referred to as the “worst year on record” for data breaches, with almost 8 billion records having been affected, according to security firm Risk Based Security. With companies like Facebook, Canva, and others experiencing breaches, questions arise about blockchains’ ability to store data in the future securely. As Decentralized ID or DID having been launched by Microsoft and QEDIT’s zero-knowledge proof integrated by SDS in its enterprise-oriented Nexledger blockchain has begun to answer the potential security liability questions once raised around the technology…read more

?? Why Enterprise Blockchains Fail: No Economic Incentives

Gartner predicts that blockchain will produce $3.1 trillion in new business value by 2030. However, many projects have failed to take off following their initial pilot driving industry leaders to debate whether the technology is passe publicly. The reason behind several of the failures is due to firms placing technical ahead of economic design. The economics are as important as the technical aspects and must be reflected. Additionally, firms have postponed a focus on revenues, including a well-developed monetization plan…read more

Forbes Blockchain 50 Data Deep Dive

The team BLOCKDATA took the time to provide a full breakdown of Forbes latest Blockchain 50 for us to grab all the insights into the most popular use cases and development platforms on this year’s list. Compared to last year’s list, 24 companies have been added/removed…read more

More For Your Week:

?? Crypto custodians have ‘tremendous’ growth potential, says KPMG

?? 2020s: The Rise of Ethereum by David Schwartz

?? “The Simpsons” Predict that Cryptocurrency and Blockchain will Gain in Popularity

?? Six Questions That Will Help You Win In A $16 Billion Blockchain Market

?? Dubai Welcomes Global Businesses With First Blockchain KYC Platform

?? What Are Privacy Coins? by ShapeShift

?? Six Things We Learned About JPMorgan’s Blockchain Strategy From This New Report by Biser Dimitrov

?? Decrypt announces the launch of its own token

?? Fighting Online Censorship With Decentralized Domains

?? Blockchain to Bring Transparency to Uranium Markets

?? The New Superheros: They’ll Use Gaming And Blockchain To Solve Climate by Nisa Amoils

DApps (Decentralized Apps) Watch

?? From IOST to ILCoin: Blockchains for Launching DApps in 2020

The entire DApps ecosystem in terms of annual token turnover has exceeded $10 billion, while the number of daily active users (DAUs) reached 1 million. There are three types of DApps: Financial applications, Partly financial applications, and Non-financial applications. The average daily user base of Ethereum-based DApps grew by 118% in 2019, and the number of involved tokens increased by 166% (in US dollar terms). The top three DApps platforms also include the EOS and TRON blockchains. ILCoin blockchain provides convenient and simple solutions for businesses like e.g., POS terminals…read more

?? Developers are 95% confident that Ethereum 2.0 will launch in July

Phase 0 and Phase 1 of Ethereum 2.0 are 99% and 90% complete, respectively. Ethereum 2.0 will see a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) algorithm implemented, which will consolidate the Ethereum blockchain via the launch of the Beacon Chain. The Beacon Chain is designed to run as a parallel network, separate from the main blockchain. In a Reddit AMA, the ETH 2.0 team said that the network wouldn’t launch until three clients can run testnets successfully for at least eight weeks…read more

?? Steemit Managing Director on Partnership With Tron — Exclusive

The TRON Foundation acquired Steemit, a decentralized social media platform with over 10,000 daily active users, on February 14th, 2020. Steemit Managing Director Elizabeth Powell expressed enthusiasm regarding the new strategic partnership, and she expects Tron to provide the resources needed to help grow the Steemit ecosystem. Steemit users have expressed concern over the future of the STEEM token and the reversible soft fork that Steem witnesses initiated on February 24th. According to Powell, the Tron partnership has saved Steemit from reaching a breaking point, noting that new features have already begun implementation across the Steemit platform. She also said that reversible soft fork was a result of people reacting quickly to Tron’s partnership with Steemit.…read more

?? Questions DeFi users should be asking DeFi Developers

?? Use Cases for the Decentralized Cloud by Storj Labs

?? How to build a decentralized social network by Denis Nazarov

?? NFT Yearly Report 2019 is live!

?? State of the Blockchain Industry Q1 2020:

Last week I released the Q1 2020 edition of the Blockchain Landscape Map. This is now the fifth edition of the landscape I’ve released and includes 747 companies (900+ total unique companies including broader key Ecosystem players) and more than $22 bn in funding raised across the landscape from 2010–2020 — over $18 bn invested since 2017! — Noticeable cycles emerging and full breakdown available.

A full 60 min video overview of the landscape is now available here and free for all. In the video, I breakdown the 2020 landscape, provide a summary of 2019, emerging trends for 2020, DeFi, Libra, CDBCs, Stablecoins, DApps, and more!

?? Download the NEW Blockchain for Infrastructure Landscape Q1 2020 edition for insights on DeFi, DApps, Infrastructure, Digital Currencies, and more!

Don’t want to wait until next week, Subscribe Now ?? for real-time industry insights around Blockchain, DApps, and more!