PLATFORM GROWTH DRIVES INNOVATION Innovation around distributed ledger (and speci昀椀cally blockchain) technology has undoubtedly bene昀椀ted from competing platforms. Development and engagement on platforms from Bitcoin, Ethereum, Hyperledger, Digital Asset, R3 Corda and more, have resulted in decentralized, vibrant innovation ecosystems delivering rapid development and implementation. This innovation and platform growth through the chain. But the banks that 昀椀nance is showing no signs of slowing down. trade and the insurance companies that Gartner has estimated the number of insure the goods are also important players platforms at more than 70, and suggests in an end-to-end supply chain transaction. a period of competition and consolidation Each build systems that establish letters of will ultimately narrow the 昀椀eld to 昀椀ve primary credit, transfer funds or initiate a claim, all 1 providers. Further, if blockchain evolves like established and triggered by the movements other technology, some of these dominant of goods tracked by the supply chain. platforms may not yet even exist. As this market of blockchain vendors continues Several consortia are already working to increase, and ecosystems around those to put these processes on a distributed platforms continue to grow, interactions ledger. The goal is to reduce the amount between platforms will be essential. of documentation and back-and-forth messaging so that the processes can be Consider a distributed ledger technology more ef昀椀cient, risk can be managed more (DLT)-enabled supply chain. Distributed effectively, and capital can be freed up. ledger technology can simplify, streamline, and integrate the end-to-end data associated With an industry as interlinked and wide with moving physical goods in a supply chain. spanning as supply chain, these solutions cannot exist in a vacuum. The ability to link and interact Each participant—from mining to re昀椀nement, manufacturing to shipping, and wholesalers in an end-to-end, seamless solution is required to retailers--will bene昀椀t from access to if companies hope to reap the full value of DLT. a single source of truth as goods move CONNECTING ECOSYSTEMS: BLOCKCHAIN INTEGRATION 3