JD.com Investigates Blockchain-as-a-Service
Just a few months after they launched a Blockchain and AI-dedicated start-up accelerator, the number 2 e-commerce specialist in China JD.com introduces a platform enabling businesses to create, host and implement Blockchain-based solutions.
This white-label service called JD Blockchain Open Platform is meant to help businesses streamline operational procedures. Possible use cases include tracking and tracing the movement of goods, transaction settlements, authenticity certification, etc.
This solution is based on different underlying technologies, enabling their customers to securely create reliable smart contracts on public and private enterprise clouds. JD.com also proposes assistance services and tools helping partner companies start their projects.
Their first customer will be China Pacific Insurance Company (CPIC). This insurance company with headquarters in Shanghai announced they would rely on Blockchain technology for their e-invoicing system using JD.com infrastructure. They expect this system to significantly increase efficiency and streamlining in accounting processes, and decrease associated costs.
Comments – Enters the race for Cloud-based Blockchain-as-a-Service
Two months ago, Alibaba’s financial arm Ant Financial announced a record funding round and strategic shift to address BtoB needs. In their turn, this direct challenger is now strengthening its BtoB strategy, claiming a status as a technological company with a Blockchain-based platform. This project pertains to their overall BtoB-oriented, “Retail-as-a-Service” plan. This concept has been at the heart of their value proposition and business model since 2017 allowing them to stand out on their initial market. JD Blockchain Open Platform would be another source of revenue, an addition to their e-commerce sales and the fees applied to merchants on their marketplace.
Nonetheless, JD.com isn’t the first e-commerce player to be introducing a Blockchain-as-a-Service solution. In April, Amazon launched AWS Blockchain Templates providing roughly one hundred companies with access to preset Blockchain frameworks. In China, Huawei also features Blockchain-as-a-Service with turnkey solutions for developers and partner companies. Baidu and Tencent are, of course, other outstanding examples.