Blockchain will be one of the technologies local Chinese authorities will leverage in an overhaul of local transport infrastructure, a government bulletin reported on March 25. New plans recently approved reference blockchain, in addition to other disruptive tools such as big data and the Internet of Things (IoT), as being useful for implementation in the Jiangsu Province, north of Shanghai. A multi-year project called the “Implementation Plan for the Promotion of Transportation Infrastructure Development” aims to update both passenger and freight networks to reduce pollution and increase efficiency. According to the bulletin, blockchain will feature in the area of logistics …

In Japan, the number of hacked Internet of Things (IoT) devices and cryptocurrency networks nearly doubled in 2018 when compared to the previous year. English-language local media Asahi reported on March 7. Per the report, the Japanese Police Agency data shows that an average of 2,752.8 intrusions per sensor per day were detected last year, up 45 percent from the previous year. Furthermore, the data also reportedly shows that almost all of the attacks came from overseas. According to the article, if one considers only cryptocurrency networks and IoT devices, the data shows an average of 1,702.8 intrusions per sensor …

The IOTA Foundation has announced the Smart City Hackathon sponsored by French global automobile manufacturer Groupe Renault, Cointelegraph auf Deutsch reports Feb. 25. At the hackathon, participants will compete by using new technologies to solve inter-city problems submitted by corporate partners. Contestants will use distributed ledger technology (DLT) to develop more efficient transport, energy grids and buildings. The contest is based on IOTA’s Tangle system, wherein participants will develop Internet of Things (IoT), machine-to-machine (M2M), and data driven concepts for the smart city environment. Designed specifically for the IoT industry, IOTA’s Tangle system represents an organizational model that uses Directed …

A survey by Big Four audit company KPMG shows that 48 percent of C-level executives believe blockchain is likely to change the way they do business in the next three years. The results of the poll were shared with Cointelegraph on Feb. 26. KPMG has conducted its Technology Industry Innovation Survey for the seventh time from December 2018 to January 2019. It includes responses from over 740 global tech entrepreneurs from 12 countries. 66 percent of the respondents were C-level executives. According to the poll, almost half of the executives believe that blockchain will likely or very likely change the …

Dutch technology company ElaadNL has developed a Proof of Concept (PoC) for a smart power grid for electric vehicles using internet of things (IoT)-focused IOTA Tangle technology, according to the company’s announcement on Feb. 14. Per the announcement, the PoC shows the ability of smart grids to not only consume power, but also generate it and autonomously redistribute it amongst community members. The initiative was based on IOTA’s Tangle technology, which purportedly lets the charging devices autonomously decide whether there is need to help balance grid load. In addition, the charging stations can earn a IOTA tokens by charging electric …

Switzerland-based blockchain and cybersecurity firm WISeKey has opened a Blockchain Center of Excellence in Geneva, according to an announcement on Feb. 1. WISeKey focuses on secure authentication and identification using a cryptographic tool called Root of Trust. The company is increasingly incorporating Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain technology into its operations and portfolio. The Geneva Blockchain Center of Excellence will purportedly assist blockchain-related startups in addition to researching and promoting new technology. It will also aim to expedite the adoption of blockchain technology in the public and private sectors. Opening the center is part of a new partnership with …

Danish state-owned energy company Energinet has expanded its partnership with distributed ledger network Iota to investigate use of its technology in new areas, Iota revealed in blog post Jan. 30. Energinet, which is an independent enterprise under Denmark’s Climate and Energy Ministry, wants to examine how it could leverage Iota’s Tangle technology in the energy and Internet of Things (IoT) markets. The two entities have worked together on a data marketplace initiative since late 2017, a larger project involving other companies. Energinet market developer André Bryde Alnor commented on the latest move: “As part of our journey to a digitized, …

Swiss-based cybersecurity firm WISeKey and a subsidiary of Malaysian tech investment holding Censof announced a partnership to expand blockchain activities, according to a press release Jan. 25. WISeKey, which focuses on secure authentication and identification using a cryptographic tool called Root of Trust, has increasingly incorporated Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain technology into its portfolio. The partnership will reportedly establish a “Blockchain Center of Excellence” in Malaysia, as well as broaden the use cases for blockchain available to Censof’s clients via its subsidiary, Cendee. The project forms the latest step in a series of plans for WISeKey, which has …

JP Morgan-backed digital services firm Smartrac has partnered with SUKU Ecosystem, a blockchain startup headed by former Deloitte exec Eric Piscini, according to a tweet on Tuesday, Jan. 22. SUKU, which is parented by blockchain firm Citizens Reserve, will provide its platform to integrate with Smartrac’s supply chain. Smartrac is a radio-frequency identification (RFID) inlay manufacturer based in the Netherlands. Citizens Reserve reportedly released the alpha version of SUKU last autumn. SUKU is a supply chain as a service platform based on blockchain technology. Piscini, CEO at Citizens Reserve, said that the new partnership aims to resolve major problems related …

Blockchain adoption in the Internet of Things (IoT) industry more than doubled over the last 12 months, a survey conducted by major Dutch cybersecurity firm Gemalto reveals Jan. 15. According to the survey, firms in the IoT industry are increasingly turning to blockchain tech, with adoption of blockchain more than doubling from 9 to 19 percent in the past 12 months. Gemalto reportedly surveyed 950 information technology (IT) and business decision makers globally. According to the survey data, 90 percent of the companies think that IoT device security is a significant consideration for customers and 79 percent are requesting more …

Indian telecoms giant Tata Communications named the key barriers to blockchain adoption for businesses globally, in a survey published Dec. 12. Part of a survey on emerging sectors — dubbed ‘The Cycle of Progress’ — Tata’s report noted concerns around costs, security and privacy as the “key adoption barriers for business decision makers” considering the implementation of new technologies. The survey also highlighted a growing skills gap as one of the major challenges in the adoption of new technology, including blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). The report also noted, however, that “[r]egardless of where their …

Australia’s National Transport Insurance (NTI) has announced it will trial a blockchain system to improve supply chain integrity for beef exports abroad. The trial was reported by local transport industry magazine Fully Loaded ATN on Dec. 10. NTI will reportedly be partnering with BeefLedger, an Australian “integrated provenance, blockchain security and payments platform,” which combines blockchain with Internet of Things (IoT) technology to bolster product credentials across the supply chain. NTI and Beefledger’s pilot will use the system to track the provenance and production of Australian beef exports to Shanghai, from their rearing on South Australia’s Limestone Coast to a …