The Evolution of Blockchain Infrastructure: A Turning Point for Enterprise Adoption and Practical Applications by 2026
Editor
2026 marks a complete transformation of blockchain technology from speculative cryptocurrency hype to a practical enterprise solution. The global blockchain market size has grown by 48.7%, from $67.9 billion in 2025 to approximately $101 billion in 2026, with the enterprise blockchain sector accounting for 73% of the total market. A particularly noteworthy development is the sharp increase in blockchain adoption rates among public sectors and large corporations, which surged from 23% in 2025 to 41% in 2026. This shift is not merely driven by technological curiosity but is based on clear business value in terms of operational efficiency and cost reduction.
The most significant changes are evident in the supply chain management sector. Blockchain-based tracking systems established by global consumer goods companies like Walmart, Nestlé, and Unilever now track approximately 12 million product movements daily in real-time. In Korea, Samsung SDS’s ‘Nexledger’ platform is integrated into the supply chains of major manufacturers such as Hyundai Motor, LG Electronics, and POSCO, with about 150,000 suppliers participating in this network as of January 2026. Samsung SDS recorded approximately 34 billion KRW in revenue from this business in Q4 2025, a 127% increase from the previous year.
The tangible effects of blockchain adoption are demonstrated by concrete figures. For instance, Nestlé reduced its product recall time from 7 days to 2.2 seconds after implementing a blockchain-based supply chain tracking system, resulting in annual cost savings of approximately $89 million. Similarly, Walmart cut its response time to foodborne illness incidents by 99.9% through its food safety tracking system, leading to an annual risk management cost reduction of about $120 million. These achievements illustrate that blockchain has become a key infrastructure providing substantial management efficiency beyond mere technological innovation.
Changes in the Competitive Landscape of Enterprise Blockchain Platforms
In the enterprise blockchain market, traditional IT giants are solidifying their dominance. IBM’s Hyperledger Fabric-based solutions currently account for 32% of global enterprise blockchain implementations, leading the market. IBM recorded approximately $2.1 billion in blockchain-related revenue in 2025, representing 3.7% of its total software revenue. IBM maintains a commanding position in the financial services and supply chain management sectors, with market shares of 41% and 28%, respectively.
Microsoft is rapidly growing in the market with its cloud-native approach through Azure Blockchain Service. As of January 2026, the number of blockchain nodes operating on Azure has increased by 156% compared to early 2025, reaching approximately 840,000. Microsoft’s blockchain-related revenue was about $1.5 billion in 2025, with a strong presence in the BaaS (Blockchain as a Service) model targeting SMEs and startups. The company’s Azure Confidential Ledger service currently processes about 2.8 million transactions daily, with an average processing speed of 12,000 transactions per second.
Oracle is attempting to differentiate itself by emphasizing integration with existing enterprise systems through its Oracle Blockchain Platform. Its native integration features with ERP systems have been well-received by manufacturing and distribution customers, with blockchain-related revenue reaching about $800 million in 2025. Oracle’s blockchain platform is used by approximately 1,200 companies across 47 countries, with notable growth in the Asia-Pacific region. Adoption cases in Korea, Japan, and Singapore increased by 89% year-over-year, attributed to strengthened regional partnerships and localization strategies.
In Korea, SK Telecom is establishing a unique positioning with blockchain services leveraging its telecommunications infrastructure. SK Telecom’s ‘Blockchain as a Service’ platform supports ultra-low latency blockchain transactions integrated with its 5G network, currently serving about 340 corporate clients. The company recorded approximately 18 billion KRW in blockchain-related revenue in 2025, a 73% increase from the previous year. Active orders in logistics, finance, and public sectors, including the Busan Port blockchain-based logistics system and Seoul’s digital ID project, have been successfully executed.
The Maturity of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and Regulatory Environments
In 2026, one of the most notable blockchain application areas is central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Currently, 114 countries worldwide are participating in CBDC research and development, with 26 countries in the pilot testing phase and 11 countries having launched actual services. China’s digital yuan (e-CNY) now accounts for approximately 6.2 billion dollars in daily transactions, representing 12.3% of total retail payments, a significant increase from 8.7% in early 2025, indicating that CBDCs are establishing themselves as a real payment method.
The European Central Bank (ECB) plans to commence a full-scale pilot operation of the digital euro project in the first half of 2026, with major banks from Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands participating in the initial phase. The ECB has announced a total investment of 2.3 billion euros for the digital euro infrastructure, to be executed in phases over the next three years. The project focuses on privacy protection and offline transaction support, showcasing a differentiated approach from existing cryptocurrencies.
The Bank of Korea is also actively pursuing digital won research. In the second phase pilot test completed in 2025, major fintech companies like KakaoPay, NaverPay, and TossPay participated, conducting real payment tests with about 100,000 users. The test results showed an average transaction processing time of 0.8 seconds and a maximum daily processing capacity of 1 million transactions, with a user satisfaction score of 7.8 out of 10. The Bank of Korea plans to embark on a full-scale third-phase test in the second half of 2026, focusing on large-scale testing of payments at retail stores and peer-to-peer transfers.
As CBDC adoption accelerates, competition among related technology suppliers is intensifying. Accenture is participating in CBDC projects in 12 countries, with related revenue reaching approximately $420 million in 2025. IBM is also involved in CBDC infrastructure development in countries like Brazil, Thailand, and Nigeria, attempting to differentiate itself with hybrid cloud-based security solutions. Domestically, Samsung SDS is participating in both the Bank of Korea’s digital won project and the National Bank of Cambodia’s digital riel project, laying the groundwork for overseas expansion.
The regulatory environment is also maturing rapidly. With the full implementation of the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation by the end of 2024, compliance requirements for blockchain-based services have become clear. While this initially leads to increased compliance costs, it is expected to enhance market reliability and expand institutional investor participation in the long term. In fact, institutional investors’ blockchain-related investments in Europe increased by 134% year-over-year in Q4 2025, reaching 7.8 billion euros.
In the United States, the investment environment is improving with clear guidelines from the SEC and successive approvals of blockchain ETFs. The eight blockchain-related ETFs approved in 2025 attracted a total of $4.7 billion, with a significant portion invested in enterprise blockchain technology development companies. Startups in supply chain management and digital identity verification are receiving significant attention from venture capital and corporate investors, with total investment in this field reaching $2.3 billion in 2025.
Improvements in blockchain technology performance are also accelerating practical adoption. With the completion of Ethereum’s sharding upgrade, the number of transactions processed per second has increased dramatically from 15 to 100,000, surpassing Visa’s capacity of 65,000 transactions per second, significantly enhancing its potential as a real payment system. Additionally, advancements in Layer 2 solutions have greatly reduced transaction fees, making microtransactions economically viable. The daily transaction volume of major Layer 2 networks like Polygon, Arbitrum, and Optimism is currently about 4.8 million, 3.2 times the mainnet volume.
From an environmental sustainability perspective, blockchain technology has made significant progress. Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake (PoS) has reduced energy consumption by 99.95%, and newly emerging blockchains are applying eco-friendly designs from the outset. The annual power consumption of major blockchains like Solana, Cardano, and Polkadot is approximately 1.8GWh, 6.8GWh, and 7.2GWh, respectively, comparable to or lower than traditional data center operations. These changes significantly lower the barriers to blockchain adoption for companies emphasizing ESG management.
As of 2026, blockchain technology has firmly established itself as an enterprise infrastructure. Recognized as a technology that generates tangible business value, independent of the volatility of speculative cryptocurrency markets, it is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 42.8% over the next five years. In areas such as supply chain transparency, digital identity management, and smart contract automation, blockchain has already become an indispensable core technology. Companies are no longer contemplating whether to adopt blockchain but are instead considering which blockchain platform to choose and how to integrate it with existing systems. This transformation signifies that blockchain technology has fully transitioned from the laboratory to playing a crucial role in real business environments.
The information presented in this article is intended for general market analysis purposes and is not meant as investment advice or recommendations. Please consult a professional before making investment decisions.
