IBM and Hyperledger launch enterprise ready blockchain
Blockchain is quickly emerging as one of the world's most disruptive technologies, and IBM wants everyone to have access to it
Key takeaways
- Although IBM’s BaaS platform is based on the open source Hyperledger project the company still says that it’s safe enough and secure enough for enterprises to adopt.
- The idea is that this gives administrators a trail they can follow in case something goes wrong, or in the unlikely event that the network is breached.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2017) 'IBM and Hyperledger launch enterprise ready blockchain', 311 Institute, 25 March. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/ibm-and-hyperledger-launch-enterprise-ready-blockchain/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Following hot on the heels of announcing that it wants to be the first company to offer the world’s first universal “Quantum Computing as a Service” platform, IBM has just unveiled its new “Blockchain as a Service,” or BaaS for short, which is based on the open source Hyperledger Fabric from the Linux Foundation.
IBM first introduced the concept of BaaS last year but now it believes that its new service is ready for prime time, and it’s hoping that it’s going to go down a storm with developers who are busy building blockchain applications that audit, monitor, support and track everything from the entire US military, all the way through to tuna and pigs, Universal Basic Income (UBI) programs and foreign exchange trading.
Blockchain first rose to prominence in 2008 as a way to track the digital currency Bitcoin, and at its core is a transparent and tamper proof digital ledger that allows any private company, or government institution, to create a trusted network where members can share information freely, knowing that only members can see it, and where the information can’t be altered once it’s been entered.
Although IBM’s BaaS platform is based on the open source Hyperledger project the company still says that it’s safe enough and secure enough for enterprises to adopt.
“Only an Open Source, collaborative software development approach can ensure the transparency, longevity, interoperability, and support required to bring blockchain technologies forward to mainstream commercial adoption,” said Jerry Cuomo, VP of Blockchain Technology at IBM , “that is what Hyperledger is about – communities of software developers building blockchain frameworks and platforms.”
To satisfy enterprise users though, IBM has added another layer of security services courtesy of the IBM cloud. The computing giant also claims that their blockchain network offers full transparency and auditing capabilities, along similar lines to the one that was recently unveiled by Google’s DeepMind division as a way to audit its work in the UK NHS. The idea is that this gives administrators a trail they can follow in case something goes wrong, or in the unlikely event that the network is breached.
IBM’s vision for blockchain isn’t just limited to the enterprise though – in 2015 they entered into a partnership with Samsung to create a blockchain based ledger for the Internet of Things that they dubbed Autonomous Decentralized Peer-to-Peer Telemetry (ADEPT). It’s a testament to just how much potential blockchain has - ultimately, the technology takes digital security and transparency to a whole new level, one that we’ll need as we push further into a future of extreme connectivity.
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Blockchain is quickly emerging as one of the world's most disruptive technologies, and IBM wants everyone to have access to it
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
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Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 25 March 2017. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2017). IBM and Hyperledger launch enterprise ready blockchain. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/ibm-and-hyperledger-launch-enterprise-ready-blockchain/
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