Accelerating Enterprise Blockchain Adoption: The Turning Point of Practicality and Profitability by 2026
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The Practicality Revolution of Enterprise Blockchain
As of early 2026, blockchain technology has evolved beyond the volatility and speculation of cryptocurrencies to become a key element in corporate operations. According to Gartner’s latest report, the global enterprise blockchain market size is projected to grow by 33%, from $67 billion in 2025 to $89 billion in 2026. This rapid growth is underpinned by the shift in perception of blockchain from a mere technological curiosity to a tool for solving real business problems.
A particularly noteworthy change is the improvement in the return on investment (ROI) for companies adopting blockchain. Deloitte’s ‘Global Blockchain Survey’ released in December 2025 indicates that 74% of companies implementing blockchain have realized clear business value, a significant increase from 53% in 2024. This success is attributed to the maturation of blockchain technology, which has reduced implementation costs and increased practicality.
In the Korean market, these changes are also evident. Samsung SDS, based in Seoul, announced a 45% increase in revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025 through its blockchain-based logistics platform ‘Nexledger.’ This platform is currently utilized by over 280 global manufacturers and provides an average operational cost reduction of 15% by enhancing supply chain transparency. Samsung SDS’s success story is regarded as a prime example of blockchain transitioning from an experimental technology to a proven business solution.
The use of blockchain in supply chain management is showing particularly impressive results. Walmart reported that its blockchain-based food tracking system reduced the time to trace the cause of food safety incidents from seven days to 2.2 seconds. This dramatic improvement in efficiency has resulted in an annual cost saving of approximately $300 million and significantly contributed to increased consumer trust. Similarly, Nestlé applied a blockchain-based tracking system to 78% of its products by the end of 2025, reducing losses from counterfeit products by 62% compared to the previous year.
Integration of Blockchain in Digital Identity and Financial Services
The use of blockchain in digital identity management is also rapidly expanding. Estonia’s e-Residency program is recognized as a successful model of a blockchain-based digital identity system, with over 120,000 digital citizens from 198 countries worldwide as of January 2026. Through this system, Estonia generates approximately €400 million in additional digital economy value annually and serves as a benchmark for other countries.
At the corporate level, the use of blockchain in digital identity management is becoming more active. Microsoft, based in Redmond, Washington, is providing both security and efficiency to its corporate clients through its decentralized identity solution ‘ION,’ which combines Azure Active Directory with blockchain. By the end of 2025, companies adopting this solution reported an average 35% reduction in identity management costs and a 28% decrease in security incidents. Microsoft’s achievements have directly contributed to the growth of its cloud services division, with approximately 8% of Azure’s fourth-quarter revenue in 2025 coming from blockchain-related services.
The adoption of blockchain in the financial services industry is accelerating further. As the development of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) becomes more active worldwide, the digital transformation of existing financial infrastructure is in full swing. The People’s Bank of China’s digital yuan (DCEP) surpassed a daily transaction volume of $1.5 billion by the end of 2025, accounting for about 23% of total retail payments. The European Central Bank (ECB) is also preparing for the full launch of the digital euro project in the second half of 2026, having already achieved a 40% faster processing speed and 60% lower transaction costs in pilot operations compared to existing payment systems.
Commercial banks are also actively adopting blockchain technology. JP Morgan, based in New York, reported that its blockchain-based payment network ‘JPM Coin’ surpassed an annual transaction volume of $300 billion in 2025, a 180% increase from the previous year. Through this system, JP Morgan reduced international remittance processing times from 3-5 days to a few hours and cut transaction fees by an average of 65%. Domestically, Shinhan Bank and Woori Bank jointly developed a blockchain-based trade finance platform and began commercial services in the second half of 2025, processing transactions worth approximately 12 billion won in the first six months.
IBM, based in Armonk, New York, is also achieving significant results in the financial sector with its Hyperledger Fabric-based solutions. The company’s blockchain platform-powered trade finance network ‘we.trade’ had 47 participating banks across Europe by the end of 2025, with an annual transaction volume of €8.5 billion. Through this platform, participating banks reported an average 70% reduction in trade finance processing times and a 45% reduction in related operating costs.
The use of blockchain is also expanding in real estate transactions. The Dubai government implemented a system in 2025 to process all real estate transactions on the blockchain, significantly improving transaction transparency. Singapore is also promoting small-scale real estate investments through its real estate tokenization project, with approximately $4.5 billion in real estate tokenized in 2025 alone. This innovative approach contributes to increased liquidity in the real estate market and improved investment accessibility.
In the field of digital asset management, there have also been noteworthy developments. Oracle, based in Austin, California, provides solutions for companies to securely manage digital assets through its blockchain cloud services, reporting a 95% increase in revenue from this service in 2025 compared to the previous year. Intel, based in Santa Clara, California, is optimizing blockchain performance at the hardware level through the development of blockchain-specific chipsets, with servers equipped with these chipsets showing a 40% improvement in processing performance compared to previous models.
With the growth of the enterprise blockchain market, the standardization of related technologies is also making progress. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) announced new standards for blockchain security and interoperability in 2025, which are expected to significantly alleviate compatibility issues faced by companies when adopting blockchain solutions. Additionally, as the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation and the United States’ digital asset regulatory framework become more concrete, the regulatory uncertainty surrounding blockchain technology is gradually being resolved, leading to more active corporate investment.
Looking ahead, the blockchain market in 2026 is expected to continue selective growth focused on practicality and profitability. As ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management becomes increasingly important, more companies are expected to use blockchain for carbon emission tracking and sustainability certification. Furthermore, with the development of the metaverse and Web3 ecosystems, new business opportunities are anticipated in the areas of digital ownership and virtual asset management. These changes indicate that blockchain technology is no longer an experimental technology in a niche market but is becoming a core infrastructure of the digital economy.
*This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as investment solicitation or advice. Investment decisions should be made based on individual judgment and responsibility.*
