Enterprise Blockchain Matures: A Substantial Leap in Distributed Ledger Technology for Enterprises by 2026
Editor
Structural Changes in the Enterprise Blockchain Market
As of February 2026, the global enterprise blockchain market is undergoing a rapid maturation process. According to Gartner’s latest report, the global enterprise blockchain market size is projected to grow from $50.1 billion in 2025 to $67.2 billion, marking a 34% increase. This indicates a shift from mere proof-of-concept (PoC) stages to generating actual business value. Notably, the Asia-Pacific region is leading this growth, accounting for 42% of the total market and showing the fastest growth rate.
This growth is driven by enterprises beginning to recognize the practical utility of blockchain technology. In Deloitte’s 2026 Global Blockchain Survey, 73% of the 1,280 companies surveyed classified blockchain as a ‘strategic priority,’ an 18% increase from the previous year. More importantly, 45% of companies are in the actual implementation stage, a significant rise from 28% in 2024. This demonstrates that blockchain is now viewed as a practical solution rather than an experimental technology.
This trend is also evident in the Korean market. According to the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), the domestic blockchain market size is expected to grow by 53% from 1.23 trillion won in 2025 to 1.89 trillion won this year. Adoption is accelerating in the finance and manufacturing sectors, and the government’s ‘K-Blockchain 2030’ policy is expanding its use in the public sector. Samsung SDS announced that the transaction volume processed through its blockchain platform ‘Nexledger’ increased by 89% year-over-year to 23.4 million transactions as of January this year.
The key drivers for enterprise blockchain adoption are ensuring supply chain transparency and enhancing digital asset management efficiency. According to McKinsey’s analysis, companies adopting blockchain have achieved an average reduction of 15-20% in supply chain operating costs and a 30-50% reduction in processing times. This signifies that blockchain is creating substantial business impact beyond mere technological innovation. For instance, Walmart reported that by implementing blockchain in its food tracking system, it reduced contamination source tracking time from seven days to 2.2 seconds, achieving an annual cost saving of $400 million.
Strategic Positioning of Key Players
IBM continues to maintain its leading position in the enterprise blockchain market. Headquartered in New York, IBM’s ‘IBM Blockchain Platform’ is currently utilized by over 1,600 companies worldwide, with blockchain-related revenue reaching $890 million in Q4 2025, a 28% increase from the same period the previous year. IBM’s strength lies in its ability to seamlessly integrate with existing enterprise IT infrastructure. Particularly, its Hyperledger Fabric-based solutions have demonstrated proven results across various industries, including finance, logistics, and healthcare.
Microsoft is rapidly expanding its market share through its ‘Azure Blockchain Service’ based on the Azure cloud platform. Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, Microsoft’s blockchain service surpassed 340,000 users in 2025, a 67% increase from the previous year. Microsoft’s differentiating factor is the seamless integration with existing Office 365 and Dynamics 365, allowing enterprise customers to easily incorporate blockchain functionality into their existing workflows. The recently announced ‘Microsoft Blockchain Workbench 2.0’ is gaining attention as a low-code platform that enables blockchain application development without coding.
Oracle is attempting a differentiated approach through its ‘Oracle Blockchain Platform,’ leveraging its expertise in the database field. Headquartered in Austin, California, Oracle is particularly strong in B2B transactions and supply chain management. Oracle’s blockchain solutions offer perfect compatibility with existing Oracle databases, making it an attractive option for large enterprises operating legacy systems. Oracle’s blockchain-related revenue in Q4 2025 increased by 41% year-over-year to $520 million.
Korean IT giants are also establishing unique positions in the blockchain market. Samsung SDS is achieving success in both domestic and international markets through its ‘Nexledger’ platform, particularly excelling in certificate management and digital identity verification. Samsung SDS’s blockchain division revenue in 2025 increased by 73% year-over-year to 189 billion won. SK Telecom is providing blockchain services leveraging its telecommunications infrastructure, showcasing innovative solutions in secure data exchange between IoT devices and micropayments.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is targeting the cloud-native blockchain service market through ‘Amazon Managed Blockchain.’ AWS’s approach is to support companies in focusing on application development without the burden of managing blockchain infrastructure through fully managed services. In 2025, AWS’s blockchain service customer base increased by 52% year-over-year to 128,000, showing high preference among startups and SMEs.
Practical Applications and Market Outlook
In 2026, practical applications of blockchain technology are showing concrete results across various industries. The achievements in supply chain management are particularly notable. Dutch multinational food company Unilever announced that by implementing blockchain in its sustainable sourcing program, it improved raw material tracking accuracy to 97%, a significant improvement from the previous system’s 74%, resulting in an annual risk management cost saving of approximately $230 million.
The financial services sector is also accelerating the practical adoption of blockchain. JP Morgan Chase announced that it processed a total of $320 billion in inter-institutional payments in 2025 through its self-developed ‘JPM Coin,’ an 87% increase from the previous year. This achievement reduced average payment processing times from 3-5 days to within minutes and provided direct cost benefits to customers by reducing international remittance fees by an average of 40%.
Blockchain adoption in the real estate sector is also showing notable achievements. The Dubai government achieved its goal of processing all real estate transactions on a blockchain basis by 2025, reducing average transaction processing times from 45 days to 15 days. Additionally, the increase in transaction transparency led to a 78% reduction in real estate fraud cases compared to the previous year. Based on these success stories, other countries like Singapore and Estonia are considering implementing similar systems.
In the healthcare sector, blockchain is being utilized for patient data management and pharmaceutical supply chain tracking. U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer reported that by implementing blockchain in its COVID-19 vaccine supply chain, it achieved a 99.7% prevention rate against counterfeit distribution. Additionally, it improved treatment efficiency by 25% by enhancing patient privacy protection while facilitating necessary information sharing among medical staff.
In Korea, government-led blockchain adoption is actively underway. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety transitioned all public certificate issuance to a blockchain basis from 2025, achieving both forgery prevention and a 60% reduction in issuance costs compared to previous methods. Additionally, the city of Busan introduced blockchain-based citizen cards, integrating various administrative services and local business linkage services, receiving high satisfaction ratings of 4.7 out of 5 points.
Market experts predict that 2026 will be the ‘tipping point’ for enterprise blockchain. According to Forrester Research’s analysis, by the end of 2026, over 80% of the Global 500 companies are expected to commercialize at least one blockchain project. Compliance, data integrity, and process automation are expected to be the key drivers. IDC forecasts that global blockchain spending will reach $19 billion by the end of 2026, with over 60% focused on enterprise solutions.
However, challenges remain. The biggest obstacle is the complexity of integration with existing legacy systems. According to Accenture’s survey, 67% of blockchain projects are delayed by more than six months due to technical integration issues. Regulatory uncertainty also continues to hinder adoption, with a clear need for guidelines on privacy and data sovereignty issues. Nevertheless, companies’ willingness to invest in blockchain continues to grow, with venture capital investments in blockchain-related projects increasing by 34% year-over-year to $12.7 billion in the first half of 2026.
The future direction of blockchain technology development is expected to focus on enhancing interoperability and improving user experience. The advancement of cross-chain technology, enabling seamless data exchange between different blockchain networks, and the development of user-friendly interfaces for general users will be key tasks. Companies that succeed in creating substantial business value through these technological advancements are expected to lead the market, and by the second half of 2026, blockchain is anticipated to become a standard business infrastructure rather than an innovative technology.
*This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular stock. Investment decisions should be made with careful consideration of individual circumstances.*
