Amazon Launches AWS Blockchain Portal

About face? Amazon may not be too keen on blockchain technology, but the company has nevertheless launched what it is calling the AWS Blockchain Partners Portal.

Which it says is a move to support customers with the integration of blockchain solutions build on the AWS cloud platform.

It was not all that long ago that Amazon Web Services CEO made it clear that while the company was watching blockchain, it did not see any immediate use cases for the technology. That was Andy Jassy speaking during the AWS re:Invent 2017 conference this past November.

And his words took many by surprise, considering cloud rivals like IBM and Microsoft are working closely with Fortune 500 companies and the Wall Street on many blockchain projects.

This latest launch, then, may be even more surprising.

As Amazon puts it, it is investing in blockchain technology through its partner ecosystem, and has made available one-click deploy solutions like Sawtooth Supply Chain, Sawtooth 1.0, R3 Corda, PokitDok and Blockapps Strato.

“AWS provides the broadest and deepest capabilities with the largest global infrastructure for building end-to-end blockchain solutions. We invite you to check out current blockchains and review reference architecture, deployment strategies, and development tools on our new portal page.”

Some turnaround!

In case you’re unfamiliar with the blockchain technology, it is basically a way to keep record of data via a decentralized and distributed approach. The most prominent use case of the technology is with Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency that continues to grace news headlines almost every other day.

As for Amazon, the company also plans to add more solutions like Samsung SDS, Tibco, Quorum, and Virtusa in 2018.

And it will also be deploying an AWS Blockchain Competency next year.

It certainly looks like that the disinterest Jassy showed when downplaying blockchain in November was him buying time for AWS to put the final touches on this portal.