5 concrete applications of blockchain

01 – Immediate Insurance

This is the story of a plane that took off from New York, bound for Paris, two hours and 10 minutes late. Barely arrived, one of the passengers received an alert on his smartphone: he just got 100 euros thanks to his delay insurance. Such coverage is common nowadays, but its activation is often an obstacle course, with many documents to complete and supporting documents to submit. In the case we are interested in, the transfer was done automatically, thanks to Fizzy, a late cover offered by Axa since 2017 on a blockchain basis. Its operation is based on a “smart contract”, an Axa-independent computer program that records departure time and arrival time. The insurance company even plans to reimburse people who want to get it in the blockchain cryptocurrency you use, i.e. ether. Initially this technology was limited to plane tickets, and it can be used in other insurance products, for example to compensate farmers affected by bad weather as evidenced by sensors.

02 – One-click stock market

Will the financial markets move soon? Over the past few months, hundreds of companies, instead of selling traditional stocks to investors, have issued “security tokens” (financial tokens), a type of digital stock, via STOs (security token offerings or “securities issuances”). Digital.”). The European ST8 platform suggests supporting startups willing to use this process. Unlike ICOs (initial coin offerings or “digital token issues”), which do not provide access to the issuing company’s capital but do offer the promise of the ability to use a future service or Capital gains if the value of the token increases, offering digital assets that are a fraction of an underlying financial instrument (equity, debt, real estate, raw materials, patents, etc.) For the issuer, the process costs much less; for the buyer, it is Execution and payment are virtually instantaneous, and transactions recorded on the blockchain are immutable.

03 – Food Tracking

Is La Mousline soluble on the blockchain? Since last month, Carrefour customers in any case can find out all about the famous mash that they buy on its shelves: the origin of the potatoes, the name of the product, the place of their transformation (Nestlé factories), the packaging of dates … all this with concern. Ease, simply by scanning the QR code affixed to the package. “The data union of all members of the production chain is the strength of this systemexplains Emmanuel Delirme, Head of Organization & Methods at Carrefour. The blockchain ensures that the information that is populated cannot be changed as it is being produced. » The distribution giant, which works with IBM, already makes it possible to trace all 20 products in six countries. By 2022, Carrefour hopes to “blockchain” 300 products to ensure its quality. In this case, technology makes it possible to respond to consumers’ thirst for transparency, while their distrust of large agri-food groups has grown steadily in recent years.

04 – Democratic Art Market

Become the owner of Warhol or Picasso? This should soon be possible for all exchanges, at least on a micro level, thanks to the blessing of blockchain. Technology makes it possible to digitize artworks and “break them down” into possible microcodes. Some artists have also “linked” their paintings, sculptures, or other creations, by issuing tens, hundreds, or even thousands of digital codes. Philip Gilman, co-founder and president of start-up Arteïa, offers collectors the opportunity to gather confidential information about their business, their rating, or even their position on the platform in a consistent and incorruptible manner. Ultimately, Arteïa hopes to be able to compete with traditional auction houses, by allowing hobbyists to sell or buy their work on the platform. By avoiding of course the usual commissions on this segment.

05- Video games in the hands of gamers

Players know the problem by heart: What is in the video game stays in the game. The best known example is Fortnite. The successful game, if available for free, raised $2.5 billion in 2018 by purchasing character “features” (masquerade, clothing). However, none of these items belong to the players; These purchases are lost to them. In order to specifically address this frustration, companies like Ubisoft are working on the blockchain. Thanks to him, all equipment can be digitized and have its own presence outside the game, using a symbolic system. Players can buy, sell and exchange them. Ubisoft also joined the Blockchain Game Alliance last year, which advocates a global standard for creating a more transparent and interoperable ecosystem, where players can modify games to their liking in a decentralized manner.