Blockchain technology has long moved beyond cryptocurrencies. Companies use it when multiple parties need to work with the same data, verify transaction histories, and follow shared rules without constantly reconciling information across different systems.
Blockchain technology is particularly useful in processes involving multiple independent organizations. Each typically maintains its own records, which means data must be reconciled regularly, while errors and discrepancies often require manual correction. Blockchain systems simplify this process by allowing all participants to see the current status of a transaction and its history. Smart contracts help execute predefined conditions automatically.
However, business interest in blockchain technology doesn’t mean widespread adoption. According to HFS Research, in 2025, only 8% of surveyed executives at Global 2000 companies ranked enterprise blockchain solutions among their top 3 technology investment priorities for the next 2 years.
Blockchain technology is already used in specific business processes. Companies use it for payments, asset transactions, data storage and verification, and tracking goods and supply chains.
Payments and Money Transfers
Blockchain technology is used for cross-border transfers, settlements between financial institutions, and other payment transactions. Companies integrate blockchain networks and stablecoins into existing payment infrastructure and use them to build dedicated money transfer and settlement services.
The main applications of blockchain technology include:
Payment network settlements. Visa uses blockchain networks to settle with its partners in stablecoins. By April 2026, the company supported settlements across 9 blockchain networks, with annual transaction volume reaching $7 billion. Mastercard also integrates settlements in regulated stablecoins into its global payment network.
Banking and corporate settlements. J.P. Morgan uses its Kinexys blockchain platform for settlements between institutional clients. In 2025, DBS Bank, Marex, QNB Group, and many others processed corporate payments through the platform. More than $4 trillion has passed through it since the initiative launched, with average daily transaction volume at about $7 billion. Standard Chartered launched a tokenized deposit solution that Ant International uses for 24/7 fund transfers and corporate liquidity management.
Digital payments. PayPal allows U.S. merchants to accept payments in more than 100 crypto assets through Pay with Crypto. In 2025, Shopify launched USDC payments for merchants in 34 countries. Revolut integrated stablecoins into its payment services.
Money transfers. MoneyGram uses blockchain infrastructure and stablecoins in its money transfer services. Western Union is also developing blockchain-based services for cross-border transfers and settlements.
Tokenization and Asset Transactions
Blockchain technology is used to issue, record, and transfer rights to various assets. Securities, bank deposits, fund shares, real estate, and other assets are converted into digital form. Blockchain infrastructure is also used to execute transactions and settle trades involving these instruments.
The main applications include:
Securities and investment funds. Financial institutions issue bonds, fund shares, and other instruments in tokenized form. For example, BlackRock launched the BUIDL tokenized money market fund, whose shares are issued on blockchain networks. Franklin Templeton uses blockchain technology to maintain records of ownership in the FOBXX fund. In Europe, Siemens and the EIB issue digital bonds using blockchain infrastructure.
Tokenized bank deposits. Banks issue digital representations of funds held in deposit accounts for payments and settlements through blockchain infrastructure. J.P. Morgan, HSBC, BNY, and other banks are developing such solutions.
Repo and securities transactions. Blockchain technology is used for repo transactions and collateral operations. Broadridge’s Distributed Ledger Repo platform allows financial institutions to execute repo transactions and transfer tokenized collateral through DLT infrastructure. In April 2026, the platform processed nearly $8 trillion in transactions, with an average daily volume of $368 billion. DTCC is also testing blockchain infrastructure for repo transactions, securities lending, and tokenized collateral management.
Real-world asset tokenization. Blockchain technology is used to represent rights to real estate, precious metals, and other physical assets as tokens. In 2025, RedSwan Digital Real Estate placed a $100 million portfolio of tokenized commercial real estate on the Stellar network. In the first quarter of 2026, the total market capitalization of tokenized commodities reached $5.55 billion.
Data Storage and Verification
Blockchain technology is used to store and verify documents, credentials, and property ownership records. Government agencies and organizations use these systems to manage data whose authenticity and history need to be verified.
The main applications include:
Government documents. In India, blockchain infrastructure is used to store and verify government records. According to data from the National Informatics Centre, more than 112 million documents were stored in blockchain systems as of October 2026. These include educational certificates, property records, birth and death certificates, and other government documents. In Singapore, the government-run OpenCerts platform is used to issue and verify educational and professional certificates.
Digital identity. The UAE’s national digital identity system, UAEPASS, uses blockchain infrastructure to store and exchange verifiable digital documents and serves more than 12.5 million users. Vietnam launched the national NDAChain blockchain platform for data verification and digital identity authentication. Brazil launched a blockchain solution for issuing the National Identity Card (CIN).
Property registries. In the U.S. state of New Jersey, a project is underway to move more than 370,000 real estate ownership records with a total assessed value of about $240 billion onto a blockchain network. The project covers 70 municipalities. In Georgia, the Ministry of Justice began work in 2025 to integrate blockchain technology into the National Public Registry. The project includes the potential migration of registry data to a blockchain network and the tokenization of real estate.
Vehicle documents. The California Department of Motor Vehicles moved about 42 million vehicle records onto the Avalanche blockchain network. The agency is also introducing digital certificates of title that owners can manage through a mobile app.
Product and Supply Chain Tracking
Blockchain technology is used to record data on the origin and movement of goods among supply chain participants. Blockchain infrastructure can record information on production, transportation, certification, and the transfer of products between companies.
The main applications include:
Food products. Blockchain systems are used to track the origin of food products and their movement through supply chains. Carrefour uses the technology to trace products from its own brands. Customers can scan a QR code to access information about a product’s origin and production. Charoen Pokphand Foods uses a blockchain network combined with satellite data to track agricultural raw materials. Farmsent uses a DLT solution to track agricultural shipments. Its ecosystem includes more than 160,000 farmers from Indonesia and Colombia, and tracked products include coffee, avocados, and palm sugar.
Raw materials and precious materials. Blockchain technology is used to record the origin and movement of gemstones, metals, and industrial raw materials. De Beers uses the Tracr platform to record the origin of diamonds and their movement through the supply chain. In the gold industry, the LBMA and the World Gold Council are developing the Gold Bar Integrity Programme to create a digital system for tracking the origin of gold bars. Volvo Cars uses blockchain solutions to trace raw materials used in electric vehicle battery production.
Pharmaceuticals. Blockchain infrastructure is used to track pharmaceutical products. TrackTrace, together with Merck, launched a Hedera-based digital product passport platform that records data on product origin, quality, and life cycle. In the U.S., the MediLedger network is being tested by pharmaceutical industry participants to verify medicines and exchange data between manufacturers and distributors. In Europe, the PharmaLedger Association is developing infrastructure for pharmaceutical product traceability. Its participants include major manufacturers such as GSK, MSD, Takeda, Moderna, and Elanco.
Industrial goods and components. Manufacturers use blockchain technology to record the origin of parts, materials, and components and to exchange data among supply chain participants. BMW is developing the PartChain platform to trace automotive components and exchange data with suppliers. Renault developed the XCEED platform to exchange data on automotive components’ regulatory compliance. GA Telesis’ WILBUR platform records events throughout a component’s life cycle, including manufacturing, sale, installation, removal, repair, and retirement. Block Aero’s Aviation Blockchain Network is also used to verify the origin, ownership, and maintenance history of aircraft, engines, and individual components.
These examples show that blockchain technology is used as part of the broader infrastructure of companies and government organizations. The nature of these implementations varies. Some systems already process significant volumes of transactions and data, while others are still being tested or deployed.
In many cases, end users don’t interact directly with blockchain networks. The technology operates at the infrastructure level, enabling data exchange and transactions among participants. This approach is now common across a significant share of real-world blockchain solutions.
