We have just released version 1.3.0 of the Botz framework for Openfire (the real-time communications server provided by the Ignite Realtime community )!

The Botz library adds to the already rich and extensible Openfire with the ability to create internal user bots.

In this release, compatbility with Openfire 4.8.0 and later has been resolved. Thank you to Sheldon Robinson for helping us fix that!

Download the latest version of the Botz framework from its project page !

For other release announcements and news follow us on Twitter and Mastodon .

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Elixir allows application developers to create very parallel and very complex systems. Tools like Phoenix PubSub and LiveView thrive on this property of the language, making it very easy to develop functionality that requires continuous updates to users and clients.

But one thing that has often frustrated me is how to cleanly design an application to respond to database record updates.

A typical pattern that I’ve used is to have a dedicated function which makes a database change (e.g Shipping.insert_event ). This function can contain a post-update step which sends out, for example, a PubSub broadcast. But this relies on the team using that function consistently. If there are other update functions (e.g. Shipping.insert_delivery ) they also need to do the broadcast.

But the most fool-proof solution would be to have the database update the application whenever there is a change. Not only would this avoid needing to make sure all update functions send out broadcasts, but it also makes sure that the correct actions are taken whenever some external task or application updates the database directly.

While I knew that PostgreSQL had functionality to inform my applications about updates it always seemed intimidating. So I finally decided to figure out how it worked and to make a library! I’d like to introduce EctoWatch which is my attempt to implement this pattern in the simplest way possible.

Why Broadcast Database Updates?

Aside from the obvious case of updating LiveViews, there are a number of things you might want to do in response to record changes:

• redoing a calculation/cache when source information changes
• sending out emails about a change
• sending out webhook requests
• updating a GraphQL subscription

For example, if you insert a new status event for a tracked package, you may want to:

• update any webpages/applications currently tracking the package
• send updates about important events (like the package being delivered)
• recalculate and update the estimated delivery date

Using EctoWatch

EctoWatch allows you to set up watchers in your application’s supervision tree which can track inserts, updates, and deletes on Ecto schemas which are backed by PostgreSQL tables :

{EctoWatch,
  repo: MyApp.Repo,
  pub_sub: MyApp.PubSub,
  watchers: [
    {Accounts.User, :inserted},
    {Accounts.User, :updated},
    {Accounts.User, :deleted},
    {Shipping.Package, :inserted},
    {Shipping.Package, :updated}
  ]}

Then processes can subscribe to the broadcasts sent by the watchers:

EctoWatch.subscribe(Accounts.User, :inserted)
EctoWatch.subscribe(Accounts.User, :updated)
EctoWatch.subscribe(Accounts.User, :deleted)

EctoWatch.subscribe(Shipping.Package, :inserted)
EctoWatch.subscribe(Shipping.Package, :updated)

If your process just needs to get updates about a specific record an ID can be given:

EctoWatch.subscribe(Accounts.Package, :updated, package.id)

Then finally the module that implements your process (LiveView, GenServer, etc…) can handle messages about records:

# LiveView example
def handle_info({:inserted, Accounts.User, id, _}, socket) do
  user = Accounts.get_user(id)
  socket = stream_insert(socket, :users, user)

  {:noreply, socket}
end

def handle_info({:updated, Accounts.User, id, _}, socket) do
  user = Accounts.get_user(id)
  socket = stream_insert(socket, :users, user)

  {:noreply, socket}
end

def handle_info({:deleted, Accounts.User, id, _}, socket) do
  user = Accounts.get_user(id)
  socket = stream_delete(socket, :users, user)

  {:noreply, socket}
end

You can also define which columns trigger messages on updates as well as which values (in addition to the ID) to send with messages. Definitely check out the repo’s README for more details on how to use EctoWatch!

Conclusion

I believe that EctoWatch can be a powerful new way to simplify how we deal with database changes. Allowing a quick configuration of watchers and using simple message passing with Phoenix PubSub, you can separate the concern of making a change from the concern of what happens as a result of the change. This allows your code to be more easily readable and refactorable.

If you’re in need of help with Elixir development, code and architecture reviews, and more then drop us a line .

The post Let Your Database Update You with EctoWatch appeared first on Erlang Solutions .

Earlier today, version 1.11.0 of the REST API plugin for Openfire was released!

The REST API Plugin provides the ability to manage Openfire (the real-time communications server created by the Ignite Realtime community) by sending an REST/HTTP request to the server. This plugin’s functionality is useful for applications that need to administer Openfire outside of the Openfire admin console.

This release mainly addresses compatibility issues with Openfire versions 4.8.0 and later. A big thank you to community member Anckermann for providing the bulk of the fixes!

The updated plugin should become available for download in your Openfire admin console in the course of the next few hours. Alternatively, you can download the plugin directly, from the plugin’s archive page

For other release announcements and news follow us on Mastodon or X

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Gajim 1.9.1 introduces a menu button, adds improvements for Security Labels, and fixes some bugs. Thank you for all your contributions!

What’s New

Since Gajim 1.9.0, you can toggle Gajim’s main menu bar by pressing Ctrl+M . In order to have a proper replacement for when the menu bar is hidden, we added a menu button to the top left, which contains all of the menu bar’s items.

If you are using Security Labels ( XEP-0258 ) with Gajim, you can now correct labels on messages. Overall handling of Security Labels has been improved as well.

Last but not least, Gajim’s database migration has been improved as well.

This release also comes with many bugfixes. Have a look at the changelog for a complete list.

As always, don’t hesitate to contact us at gajim@conference.gajim.org or open an issue on our Gitlab .

Digital payments are essential to the global economy and have seen rapid and significant changes in recent years.

Let’s take a look at the key trends of this change and some of the emerging digital trends are broadening the payments ecosystem. We’ll look at how payments work and the broader payments ecosystem.

The look into the digital payments landscape

Evolving customer expectations and technological advances are driving innovation. They now prioritise speed, near-to-real-time payments, frictionless transactions and decentralised models. Fuelled by the pandemic, significant growth of digital commerce has led to record payment volumes in most markets. These factors make payments one of the most interesting areas of financial services. There are opportunities for innovative fintechs to provide better client experiences and for traditional players to expand their services.

Market competition is driving down fees. It is a challenge for traditional players to maintain the same levels of profitability while using existing payment infrastructure. We have seen fintech businesses launch into the payments ecosystem, offering a more diverse range of services.

Traditional payment companies are responding by leveraging the huge amounts of data at their disposal to guide a strategy of adding to their offering. These new services are in areas including loyalty, tailored offers, data insights, risk management and more.

A cashless world leads the way

Consumers’ shift to digital channels drives demand for seamless fulfilment and instant gratification. A recent Capgemini World Payments Report survey found an increase from 24% to 46% in respondents who had e-commerce accounts for more than half of their monthly spending. This is compared from before the pandemic to now.

Retail E-commerce sales worldwide revenue

According to Statista, 91% of the global population is expected to own a smartphone by 2026 .

A majority of people have now experienced the efficiencies offered by digital payments. It is unlikely they will ever return to the older, inefficient ways of the past.

Nayapay , one of our clients in the South Asian market is using the MongooseIM chat engine . They are an example of players in the payments space seizing the opportunity to disrupt local markets.

Their chat-based payments app targets the unbanked in Pakistan. It is built around fusing the penetration of smartphone usage with people’s willingness to integrate transactions into their daily digital activities, adding ease of cashless payments to their everyday lives.

The growing demand for faster payments

Demand for instant transactions is driving change in cross-border payments, international remittances and e-commerce. Mirroring the speed of cash transactions electronically used to be a challenge. Now, the introduction of real-time clearing and settlement facilities across markets makes processing payments almost instant.

Studies by the Federal Reserve Financial Services saw the strong growth of digital wallets in 2023, (US). Businesses increased their use by 31% from the previous year, and consumers experienced a 32% increase in this digital adoption.

Here are some more statistics on the most popular use cases for faster payments:

Source: Federal Reserve study sheet

Peer to Peer transactions

As shown by the chart, one of the most popular cases is person-to-person, or peer-to-peer (P2P) payments.

Consumers are embracing the simplicity of peer-to-peer services. Zelle, Venmo (US), Kuflink and easyMoney (UK) are commonly used for everyday transactions. These services are important to people seeking quick, hassle-free ways to settle informal payments.

The availability of P2P services is expected to expand to meet the growing market demand.

According to Precedence Research , the global peer-to-peer (P2P) lending market size was valued at USD 110.9 billion in 2023. It is expected to hit over USD 1,168.1 billion by 2033.

From peer-to-peer services that enable informal transactions to the widespread adoption of digital payments, consumers are welcoming the future of finance. As technology continues to reshape how we conduct transactions, the prospect of a cashless society becomes more conceivable.

Growth in embedded payments

Lengthy checkout pages are seen as a turn-off to e-commerce customers. Using embedded payments allows you to skip the additional steps. So instead of providing just a single, clickable button on your app or website, the customer can choose their desired payment, such as Klarna, Amazon Pay, or PayPal, then click the embedded link and complete the transaction.

Amazon- pioneering embedded payments

Amazon customers can log into their accounts that already contain stored payment details and shipping addresses. They then use the “Buy Now” button to instantly complete their purchase.

It requires only a payment confirmation and avoids the need to re-enter payment and shipping information. This quick transaction process takes just seconds and has become commonplace with apps such as Uber, GrubHub, and more.

Integration of embedded finance

By integrating financial products into non-financial platforms, embedded finance is enhancing the convenience and speed of digital payments.

For consumers, embedded finance offers additional benefits including:

• Better understanding of optimal payment terms for customers
• Seamless checkouts
• Easy payment requests
• Financing options such as buy now, pay later (BNPL), all within a unified customer experience

Beyond BNPL, other financial products like lending and card issuing are also being integrated into these platforms. Major banks can reach millions of new users through Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) APIs provided to technology businesses and platforms outside the traditional financial services industry.

Leveraging payments data

The diverse range of digital touchpoints involved in a cashless payments ecosystem provides vast amounts of data.

This is important to banks and fintechs to grow client relationships based on analytics and insights. Companies that can unlock the true value of payment activity data by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools. These can offer more efficient, tailored products and a more secure, protected environment.

The implementation of the messaging standard ISO20022 is a vital part of improving the amount and quality of payment data available. As the global standard for payment messaging, ISO 20022 provides better-structured and more granular data. A shared language to be used for transactions made by anyone, anywhere.

Journey towards digital

The modern digital payments ecosystem is varied. Overall, the journey towards more digital, open and real-time operations mirrors how society at large now lives online.

We help to create digital and mobile payment solutions that enhance the customer experience and protect customer data. We work with clients who provide services, cryptocurrency, blockchain, embedded finance, payment gateways and more. To learn more about our offering, you can contact our team directly.

The post Exploring Key Trends in Digital Payments appeared first on Erlang Solutions .

Our current development iPhone 8, which we bought in 2020, is getting on in years, is not able to run iOS 17 and the battery is broken.

So it’s that time again: we are launching a new fundraising campaign for 350 EUR to finance a new development iPhone capable of running iOS 17 and several upcoming iOS versions. Currently we are aiming for an iPhone 13 .

You can view our donation options over here: Donate

In an increasingly tech-driven world, the implementation of IoT for business is a given. According to the latest data, there are currently 17.08 billion connected IoT devices – and counting. A growing number of devices requires robust IoT security to maintain privacy, protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorised access to connected devices.

A single compromised device can be a threat to an entire network. For businesses, it can lead to major financial losses, operational disruptions and a major impact on brand reputation. We will be taking you through the five key considerations to ensure IoT for businesses including data encryption methods, password management, IoT audits, workplace education and the importance of disabling unused features.

Secure password practices

Weak passwords make IoT devices susceptible to unauthorised access, leading to data breaches, privacy violations and increased security risks. When companies install devices, without changing default passwords or by creating oversimplified ones, they create a gateway entry point for attackers. Implementing strong and unique passwords can ensure the protection of these potential threats.

Password managers

Each device in a business should have its own unique password that should change on a regular basis. According to the 2024 IT Trends Report by JumpCloud, 83% of organisations surveyed use password-based authentication for some IT resources.

Consider using a business-wide password manager to store your passwords securely and that allows you to use unique passwords across multiple accounts.

Password managers are also incredibly important as they:

• Help to spot fake websites, protecting you from phishing scams and attacks.
• Allow you to synchronise passwords across multiple devices, making it easy and safe to log in wherever you are.
• Track if you are re-using the same password across different accounts for additional security.
• Spot any password changes that could appear to be a breach of security.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an additional layer of security. It requires additional verification beyond just a password, such as SMS codes, biometric data or other forms of app-based authentication. You’ll find that many password managers actually offer built-in MFA features for enhanced security.

Some additional security benefits include:

• Regulatory compliance
• Safeguarding without password fatigue
• Easily adaptable to a changing work environment
• An extra layer of security compared to two-factor authentication (2FA)

As soon as an IoT device becomes connected to a new network, it is strongly recommended that you reset any settings with a secure, complex password. Using password managers allows you to generate unique passwords for each device to secure your IoT endpoints optimally.

Data encryption at every stage

Why is data encryption so necessary? With the increased growth of connected devices, data protection is a growing concern. In IoT, sensitive information (personal data, financial, location etc) is vulnerable to cyber-attacks if transmitted over public networks. When done correctly, data encryption renders personal data unreadable to those who don’t have outside access. Once that data is encrypted, it becomes safeguarded, mitigating unnecessary risks.

Additional benefits to data encryption

How to encrypt data in IoT devices

There are a few data encryption techniques available to secure IoT devices from threats. Here are some of the most popular techniques:

Triple Data Encryption Standard (Triple DES): Uses three rounds of encryption to secure data, offering a high-level of security used for mission-critical applications.

Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) : A commonly used encryption standard, known for its high security and performance. This is used by the US federal government to protect classified information.

Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA): This is based on public and private keys, used for secure data transfer and digital signatures.

Each encryption technique has its strengths, but it is crucial to choose what best suits the specific requirements of your business.

Encryption support with Erlang/Elixir

When implementing data encryption protocols for IoT security, Erlang and Elixir offer great support to ensure secure communication between IoT devices. We go into greater detail about IoT security with Erlang and Elixir in a previous article, but here is a reminder of the capabilities that make them ideal for IoT applications:

1. Concurrent and fault-tolerant nature: Erlang and Elixir have the ability to handle multiple concurrent connections and processes at the same time. This ensures that encryption operations do not bottleneck the system, allowing businesses to maintain high-performing, reliable systems through varying workloads.
2. Built-in libraries: Both languages come with powerful libraries, providing effective tools for implementing encryption standards, such as AES and RSA.
3. Scalable: Both systems are inherently scalable, allowing for secure data handling across multiple IoT devices.
4. Easy integration: The syntax of Elixir makes it easier to integrate encryption protocols within IoT systems. This reduces development time and increases overall efficiency for businesses.

Erlang and Elixir can be powerful tools for businesses, enhancing the security of IoT devices and delivering high-performance systems that ensure robust encryption support for peace of mind.

Regular IoT inventory audits

Performing regular security audits of your systems can be critical in protecting against vulnerabilities. Keeping up with the pace of IoT innovation often means some IoT security considerations get pushed to the side. But identifying weaknesses in existing systems allows organisations to implement much- needed strategy.

Types of IoT security testing

We’ve explained how IoT audits are key in maintaining secure systems. Now let’s take a look at some of the common types of IoT security testing options available:

IoT security testing types

Firmware software analysis

Firmware analysis is a key part of IoT security testing. It explores the firmware, the core software embedded into the IoT hardware of IoT products (routers, monitors etc). Examining the firmware means security tests can identify any system vulnerabilities, that might not be initially apparent. This improves the overall security of business IoT devices.

Threat modelling

In this popular testing method, security professionals create a checklist based on potential attack methods, and then suggest ways to mitigate them. This ensures the security of systems by offering analysis of necessary security controls.

IoT penetration testing

This type of security testing finds and exploits security vulnerabilities in IoT devices. IoT penetration testing is used to check the security of real-world IoT devices, including the entire ecosystem, not just the device itself.

Incorporating these testing methods is essential to help identify and mitigate system vulnerabilities. Being proactive and addressing these potential security threats can help businesses maintain secure IoT infrastructure, enhancing operational efficiency and data protection.

Training and educating your workforce

Employees can be an entry point for network threats in the workplace.

The time of BYOD (bring your own devices) where an employee’s work supplies would consist of their laptops, tablets and smartphones in the office to assist with their tasks, is long gone. Now, personal IoT devices are also used in the workplace. Think of your popular wearables like smartwatches, fitness trackers, e-readers and portable game consoles. Even portable appliances like smart printers and smart coffee makers are increasingly popular in office spaces.

Example of increasing IoT devices in the office. Source: House of IT

The use of various IoT devices throughout your business network is the most vulnerable target for cybercrime, using techniques such as phishing and credential hacking or malware.

Phishing attempts are among the most common. Even the most ‘tech-savvy’ person can fall victim to them. Attackers are skilled at making phishing emails seem legitimate, forging real domains and email addresses to appear like a legitimate business.

Malware is another popular technique concealed in email attachments, sometimes disguised as Microsoft documents, unassuming to the recipient.

Remote working and IoT security

Threat or malicious actors are increasingly targeting remote workers. Research by Global Newswire shows that remote working increases the frequency of cyber attacks by a staggering 238%.

The nature of remote employees housing sensitive data on various IoT devices makes the need for training even more important. There is now a rise in companies moving to secure personal IoT devices that are used for home working, with the same high security as they would corporate devices.

How are they doing this? IoT management solutions. They provide visibility and control over other IoT devices. Key players across the IoT landscape are creating increasingly sophisticated IoT management solutions, helping companies administer and manage relevant updates remotely.

The use of IoT devices is inevitable if your enterprise has a remote workforce.

Regular remote updates for IoT devices are essential to ensure the software is up-to-date and patched. But even with these precautions, you should be aware of IoT device security risks and take steps to mitigate them.

Importance of IoT training

Getting employees involved in the security process encourages awareness and vigilance for protecting sensitive network data and devices.

Comprehensive and regularly updated education and training are vital to prepare end-users for various security threats. Remember that a business network is only as secure as its least informed or untrained employee.

Here are some key points employees need to know to maintain IoT security :

• The best practices for security hygiene (for both personal and work devices and accounts).
• Common and significant cybersecurity risks to your business.
• The correct protocols to follow if they suspect they have fallen victim to an attack.
• How to identify phishing, social engineering, domain spoofing, and other types of attacks.

Investing the time and effort to ensure your employees are well informed and prepared for potential threats can significantly enhance your business’s overall IoT security standing.

Disable unused features to ensure IoT security

Enterprise IoT devices come with a range of functionalities. Take a smartwatch, for example. Its main purpose as a watch is of course to tell the time, but it might also include Bluetooth, Near-Field Communication (NFC), and voice activation. If you aren’t using these features, then you’re opening yourself up for hackers to potentially breach your device. Deactivation of unused features reduces the risk of cyberattacks, as it limits the ways for hackers to breach these devices.

Benefits of disabling unused features

If these additional features are not being used, they can create unnecessary security vulnerabilities. Disabling unused features helps to ensure IoT security for businesses in several ways:

1. Reduces attack surface : Unused features provide extra entry points for attackers. Disabling features limits the number of potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited, in turn reducing attacks overall.
2. Minimises risk of exploits : Many IoT devices come with default settings that enable features which might not be necessary for business operations. Disabling these features minimises the risk of weak security.
3. Improves performance and stability : Unused features can consume resources and affect the performance and stability of IoT devices. By disabling them, devices run more efficiently and are less likely to experience issues that could be exploited by attackers.
4. Simplifies security management : Managing fewer active features simplifies security oversight. It becomes simpler to monitor and update any necessary features.
5. Enhances regulatory compliance : Disabling unused features can help businesses meet regulatory requirements by ensuring that only the necessary and secure functionalities are active.

To conclude

The continued adoption of IoT is not stopping anytime soon. Neither are the possible risks. Implementing even some of the five tips we have highlighted can significantly mitigate the risks associated with the growing number of devices used for business operations.

Ultimately, investing in your business’s IoT security is all about safeguarding the entire network, maintaining the continuity of day-to-day operations and preserving the reputation of your business. You can learn more about our current IoT offering by visiting our IoT page or contacting our team directly .

The post Top 5 Tips to Ensure IoT Security for Your Business appeared first on Erlang Solutions .

Half a year after the last release, Gajim 1.9.0 is finally here. 🎉 This release brings long awaited support for message replies and message reactions. Message Moderation has been improved as well. Say hello to voice messages! Thank you for all your contributions!

What’s New

It took us quite some time, but now it’s here: Gajim 1.9 comes with a complete database overhaul, which enables new features such as Message Replies and Message Reactions.

Message Replies ( XEP-0461: Message Replies ) offer rich context, which wasn’t available previously when using message quotes. With Message Replies, Gajim shows you the author’s profile picture, nickname, and also the time the message was sent. Clicking a referenced message will jump to the original message.

Message Reactions ( XEP-0444: Message Reactions ) allow you to react to messages by using an emoji of your choice. When hovering messages, a floating action menu appears. This action menu offers three quick reactions and even more when clicking on the plus button. Hovering a reaction shows a tooltip containing infos about who sent which reaction - especially useful in group chats.

Message Moderation ( XEP-0425: Moderated Message Retraction ) has been updated to the latest version while staying compatible with older implementations, thus improving Gajim’s tools against spam.

The new database backend is based on SQLAlchemy and allows us to easily adapt to new requirements of upcoming standards, for example message retraction and rich file transfers.

Thanks to our contributor @mesonium , who brought audio previews to Gajim a year ago, Gajim is now able to record voice messages.

What else changed:

• Gajim’s message input now offers proper undo/redo functionalities
• Messages containing only an emoji are now displayed larger
• Message merging has been improved
• Notifications now show icons (e.g. a user’s profile picture) in more desktop environments
• Your connection state is now shown directly above the message input
• Group chat messages are displayed as ‘pending’ until they have been acknowledged by the server
• Group chat avatars can now be removed
• The main menu can now be toggled via Ctrl+M
• ‘Start Chat’ now shows contact list groups, status messages, and more
• Issues with using the Ctrl+C shortcut for copying message content have been fixed

This release also comes with many bugfixes. Have a look at the changelog for a complete list.

As always, don’t hesitate to contact us at gajim@conference.gajim.org or open an issue on our Gitlab .

When Blockchain technology was first introduced with Bitcoin in 2009, no one could have foreseen its impact on the world or the unusual cases of blockchain that have emerged. Fast forward to now and Blockchain has become popular for its ability to ensure data integrity in transactions and smart contracts.

Thanks to its cost-effectiveness,  transparency, speed and top security, it has found its way into many industries, with blockchain spending expected to reach $19 billion this year .

In this post, we will be looking into 10 use cases that have caught our attention, in industries benefiting from Blockchain in unusual and impressive ways.

Ujo Music- Transforming payment for artists

Let’s start exploring the first unusual use case for blockchain with Ujo Music .

Ujo Music started with a mission to get artists paid fairly for their music, addressing the issues of inadequate royalties from streaming and complicated copyright laws.

To solve this, they turned to blockchain technology, specifically Ethereum. In using this, Ujo Music was able to create a community that allowed music owners to automatically receive royalty payments. Artists were also able to retain these rights due to smart contracts and cryptocurrencies. This approach allowed artists to access their earnings instantly, without the need to incur fees or have the wait time associated with more traditional systems.

As previously mentioned, Blockchain also allows for transparency and security, which is key in preventing theft and copyright infringement of the owner’s information. Ujo Music is transforming the payment landscape for artists in the digital, allowing for better management and rights over their music.

Cryptokitties-Buying virtual cats and gaming

For anyone looking to collect and breed digital cats in 2017, Cryptokitties was the place to be. While the idea of a cartoon crypto animation seems incredibly niche, the initial Cryptokitties craze is one that cannot be denied in the blockchain space.

Upon its launch, it immediately went viral, with the alluring tagline “The world’s first Ethereum game.” According to nonfungible.com , the NFT felines saw sales volume spike from just 1,500 on launch day, to 52,000 by the of 2017.

CryptoKitties was among the first projects to harness smart contracts by attaching code to data constructs called tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. Each chunk of the game’s code (which it refers to as a “gene”) describes the attributes of a digital cat. Players buy, collect, sell, and even breed new felines.

Source: Dapper Labs

Just like individual Ethereum tokens and bitcoins, the cat’s code also ensures that the token representing each cat is unique, which is where the nonfungible token, or NFT, comes in. A fungible good is, by definition, one that can be replaced by an identical item—one bitcoin is as good as any other bitcoin. An NFT, by contrast, has a unique code that applies to no other NFT.

Blockchain can be used in gaming in general by creating digital and analogue gaming experiences. By investing in CryptoKitties, players could invest, build and extend their gaming experience.

ParagonCoin for Cannabis

Our next unusual blockchain case stems from legal cannabis.

Legal cannabis is a booming business, expected to be worth $1.2 billion by the end of 2024. With this amount of money, a cashless solution offers business owners further security. Transactions are easily trackable and offer transparency and accountability that traditional banking doesn’t.

ParagonCoin business roadmap

Transparency in the legal cannabis space is key for businesses looking to challenge its negative image. ParagonCoin, a cryptocurrency startup had a unique value proposition for its entire ecosystem, making it clear that its business would be used for no illegal activity.

Though recently debunked, ParagonCoin was a pioneer in its field in utilising B2B payments. At the time of its launch, paying for services was only possible with cash, as businesses that were related to cannabis were not allowed to officially have a bank account.

This creates a dire knock-on effect, making it difficult for businesses to pay for solicitors, staff and other operational costs. The only ways to get an operation running would have been unsafe, inconvenient and possibly illegal. ParagonCoin remedied this by asking businesses to adopt a pseudo-random generator (PRG) payment system to answer the immediate issues.

Here are some other ways ParagonCoin adopted blockchain technology in their cannabis industry:

• Regulatory compliance – Simplifying compliance issues on a local and federal level.
• Secure transactions – Utilising smart contracts to automate and enforce agreement terms, reducing the risk of fraud.
• Decentralised marketplace – Creating a platform for securely listing and reviewing products and services, while fostering a community of engaged users, businesses and regulators.
• Innovative business models – The facilitating of crowdfunding to transparently raise business capital.

These cases highlight blockchain technologies’ ability to enhance transparency, compliance, and security, within even the most unexpected industries.

Siemens partnership- Sharing solar power

Siemens has partnered with startup LO3 Energy with an app called Brooklyn Microgrid . This allows residents of Brooklyn who own solar panels to transfer their energy to others who don’t have this capability. Consumers and solar panel owners are in control of the entire transaction.

Residents with solar panels sell excess energy back to their neighbours, in a peer-to-peer transaction. If you’d like to learn more about the importance of peer-to-peer (p2p) networks, you can check out our post about the Principles of Blockchain .

Microgrids reduce the amount of energy that gets lost during transmission. It provides a more efficient alternative since approximately 5% of electricity generated in the US is lost in transit. The Brooklyn microgrid not only minimises these losses but also offers economic benefits to those who have installed solar panels, as well as the local community.

Björn Borg and same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage is still banned in a majority of countries across the world. With that in mind, the Swedish sportswear brand Björn Borg discovered an ingenious way for loved ones to be in holy matrimony, regardless of sexual orientation on the blockchain. But how?

Blockchain is stereotypically linked with money, but remove those connotations and you have an effective ledger that can record events as well as transactions.

Björn Borg has put this loophole to extremely good use by forming the digital platform Marriage Unblocked, where you can propose, marry and exchange vows all on the blockchain. What’s more, the records can be kept anonymous offering security for those in potential danger, and you get the flexibility of smart contracts.

Of course, you can request a certificate to display proudly too!

Whilst this doesn’t hold any legal requirements, everything is produced and stored online. If religion or government isn’t a primary concern of yours, where’s the harm in a blockchain marriage?

Tangle -Simplifying the Internet of Things (IoT)

Blockchain offers ledgers that can record the huge amounts of data produced by IoT systems. Once again the upside is the level of transparency it offers that simply cannot be found in other services.

The Internet of Things is one of the most exciting elements to come out of technology. The connected ecosystems can record and share various interactions. Blockchain lends itself perfectly to this, as it can transfer data and give identification for both public and private sector use cases. Here is an example:

Public sector- Infrastructure management, taxes (and other municipal services).

Private sector -logistical upgrade, warehousing tracking, greater efficiency, and enhanced data capabilities.

IOTA’s Tangle is a blockchain specifically for IoT which handles machine-to-machine micropayments. It has reengineered distributed ledger technology (DLT), enabling the secure exchange of both value and data.

Tangle is the data structure behind micro-transaction crypto tokens that are purposely optimised and developed for IoT. It differs from other blockchains and cryptocurrencies by having a much lighter, more efficient way to deal with tens of billions of devices.

It includes a decentralised peer-to-peer network that relies on a Distributed Acyclic Graph (DAG), which creates a distributed ledger rather than “blocks”. There are no transaction fees, no mining, and no external consensus process. This also secures data to be transferred between digital devices.

Walmart and IBM- Improving supply chains

Blockchain’s real-time tracking is essential for any company with a significant number of supply chains.

Walmart partnered with IBM to produce a blockchain called Hyperledger Fabric blockchain to track foods from the supplier to the shop shelf. When a food-borne disease outbreak occurs, it can take weeks to find the source. Better traceability through blockchain helped save time and lives, allowing companies to act fast and protect affected farms.

Walmart chose blockchain technology as the best option for a decentralised food supply ecosystem. With IBM, they created a food traceability system based on Hyperledger Fabric.

The food traceability system built for the two products worked and Walmart can now trace the origin of over 25 products from five of its different suppliers using this system.

Agora for elections and voter fraud

Voting on a blockchain offers full transparency, and reduces the chance of voter fraud. A prime example of this is in Sierra Leone, which in 2018 became the first country to run a blockchain-based election, with 70% of the pollers using the technology to anonymously store votes in an immutable ledger.

Sierra Leone results on the Agora blockchain

These results were placed on Agora’s blockchain and by allowing anyone to view it, the government aimed to provide a level of trust with its citizens. The platform reduced controversy and costs enquired when using paper ballots.

The result of this is a trustworthy and legitimate result that will also limit the amount of the hearsay from opposition voters and parties, especially in Sierra Leone which has had heavy corruption claims in the past.

MedRec and Dentacoin Healthcare

With the emphasis on keeping many records in a secure manner, blockchain lends itself nicely to medical records and healthcare.

MedRec is one business using blockchain to keep secure files of medical records by using a decentralised CMS and smart contracts. This also allows transparency of data and the ability to make secure payments connected to your health. Blockchain can also be used to track dental care in the same sort of way.

One example is Dentacoin, which uses the global token ERC20. It can be used for dental records but also to ensure dental tools and materials are sourced appropriately, whether tools are used on the correct patients, networks that can transfer information to each other quickly and a compliance tool.

Everledger- Luxury items and art selling

Blockchain’s ability to track data and transactions lends itself nicely to the world of luxury items.

Everledger.io is a blockchain-based platform that enhances transparency and security in supply chain management. It’s particularly used for high-value assets such as diamonds, art, and fine wines.

The platform uses blockchain technology to create a digital ledger that records the provenance and lifecycle of these assets, ensuring authenticity and preventing fraud. Through offering a tamper-proof digital ledger, Everledger allows stakeholders to trace the origin and ownership history of valuable assets, reducing the risk of fraud and enhancing overall market transparency.

The diamond industry is a great use case of the Everledger platform.

By recording each diamond’s unique attributes and history on an immutable blockchain, Everledger provides a secure and transparent way to verify the authenticity and ethical sourcing of diamonds. This helps in combating the circulation of conflict diamonds but also builds consumer trust by providing a verifiable digital record of each diamond’s journey from mine to market.

To conclude

While there is a buzz around blockchain, it’s important to note that the industry is well-established, and these surprising cases of blockchain display the broad and exciting nature of the industry as a whole. There are still other advantages to blockchain that we haven’t delved into in this article, but we’ve highlighted one of its greatest advantages for businesses and consumers alike- its transparency.
If you or your business are working on an unusual blockchain case, let us know – we would love to hear about it! Also if you are looking for reliable FinTech or blockchain experts, give us a shout, we offer many services to fix issues of scale .

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