The world of blockchain and cryptocurrency is rapidly evolving from speculative assets into real-world technologies that are reshaping industries. While the Bitcoin halving in May 2025 passed without dramatic price surges or mining collapses, it marked a turning point: the focus is shifting from price volatility to practical applications. Major tech companies are now investing heavily in blockchain infrastructure, digital identity, cross-border payments, and supply chain transparency—laying the foundation for a decentralized future.
This article explores how global tech giants like Alibaba (via Ant Group), Tencent, Facebook (Meta), and telecom leaders are driving blockchain adoption. We’ll examine their latest initiatives, real-world use cases, and the broader implications for businesses and consumers.
Ant Group: Building Trust Through Blockchain Infrastructure
Ant Group, best known for operating Alipay, has long positioned blockchain not as a get-rich-quick tool but as a solution to real societal problems. In April 2025, Ant launched its Open Consortium Chain, significantly lowering the barrier for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to adopt blockchain—cutting costs to just a few thousand dollars.
Developers can now build blockchain applications “like building blocks,” enabling faster deployment of transparent, tamper-proof systems across sectors such as finance, logistics, and legal services.
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Already, AntChain has addressed over 40 trust-critical scenarios:
- Cross-border remittances: In 2018, Ant enabled instant transfers between Hong Kong and the Philippines. A Filipino worker named Grace completed a transfer in just three seconds.
- Supply chain traceability: During Singles’ Day events, hundreds of millions of products were tracked on-chain, ensuring authenticity from factory to consumer.
- Intellectual property protection: The “Quezao” platform allows Taobao sellers to register product images on-chain within one second, preventing unauthorized use.
- Healthcare data sharing: In Changzhou, Alibaba Health uses blockchain to enable secure data exchange between hospitals.
With over 2,300 blockchain patents filed globally—topping the IPRdaily 2019 rankings—Ant Group leads in both innovation and implementation. As Jack Ma once said: “Blockchain should solve social problems, not create bubbles.”
Tencent: From Digital Invoices to Industrial Integration
Tencent’s approach to blockchain is equally pragmatic. Since 2015, the company has developed proprietary technology that now powers solutions across government, finance, education, and public welfare.
One of the earliest successes was the blockchain electronic invoice system, launched in collaboration with Shenzhen’s Tax Bureau in 2018. Today, millions of invoices are issued daily using this system, reducing fraud and administrative overhead.
Tencent’s core offerings include:
- TrustSQL: A blockchain backend platform focused on digital assets, verification, shared ledgers, and data integrity.
- TBaaS (Tencent Blockchain as a Service): A cloud-based service that enables enterprises to deploy blockchain networks quickly and securely.
In 2025, Tencent Cloud established a dedicated Blockchain Product Center, signaling its commitment to treating blockchain as critical digital infrastructure—similar to cloud computing or AI.
With 724 blockchain patents granted globally in 2019 alone (second only to Ant Group), Tencent continues to expand into areas like digital identity, judicial evidence storage, and cross-institutional data sharing.
“The future ‘chain usage’ metric may combine with ‘cloud usage’ to become a key indicator of digital economic development,” wrote Pony Ma in his preface to Industrial Blockchain.
Facebook (Meta): Libra’s Evolution into Regulated Innovation
Facebook’s foray into cryptocurrency began with the controversial Libra project in 2019. Facing intense regulatory scrutiny, the project pivoted and rebranded as Diem, then evolved further into a compliance-first model under the Libra Association.
By April 2025, the Libra 2.0 whitepaper introduced four major changes:
- Support for single-currency stablecoins (e.g., USD-backed tokens) alongside multi-currency baskets.
- Implementation of a robust compliance and anti-money laundering (AML) framework.
- Abandonment of plans for an open, permissionless network—opting instead for regulated permissioned access.
- Stronger safeguards for reserve assets to ensure stability.
While no longer aiming to disrupt global monetary systems directly, Libra’s evolution reflects a broader trend: even ambitious decentralized projects must align with financial regulations to succeed.
This shift mirrors developments in central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). China’s Digital Currency Electronic Payment (DCEP) system saw major progress in early 2025, with pilot programs expanding to include McDonald's, Starbucks, JD.com, and Cainiao stations in Xiong’an新区.
👉 See how global stablecoins and CBDCs are shaping the future of money.
Together, Libra and DCEP act as catalysts—forcing traditional financial institutions to innovate or risk obsolescence.
Telecom Giants: Bridging Connectivity and Decentralization
After losing ground in the mobile payment race, telecom operators are leveraging their vast networks and user bases to reclaim relevance through blockchain.
Key initiatives include:
- China Mobile Yunnan: Launched a blockchain-powered cross-border import tracking system in Ruili, enhancing transparency for imported goods.
- China Unicom: Developed a BaaS platform currently in internal testing and initiated the “5G + Blockchain Partnership Program.”
- China Telecom: Proposed the first ITU-T international blockchain standard and explored blockchain SIM cards, inter-provincial settlements, and e-bidding systems.
Globally:
- Spain’s Telefónica offers blockchain access services to around 8,000 companies via partnerships with tech parks.
- Even Vodafone, which exited the Libra Association, ran ads supporting Bitcoin in early 2025—indicating renewed interest in crypto integration.
These moves highlight a strategic pivot: telecoms are no longer just connectivity providers but emerging as enablers of secure digital ecosystems.
Institutional Adoption: From Grayscale to Wall Street Legends
Beyond corporate deployments, institutional appetite for digital assets is surging.
Grayscale Investments managed over $3.7 billion in crypto assets by mid-2025. Key holdings include:
- Over 68,000 BTC acquired since January.
- More than 1.2 million ETH held through its Ethereum Trust.
Even legendary hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones confirmed his Bitcoin investment during a CNBC interview in May 2025, citing macroeconomic uncertainty and inflation hedging as primary motivations.
Such endorsements signal a maturing market where crypto is increasingly seen as a legitimate asset class—not just speculative tech.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the difference between blockchain and cryptocurrency?
A: Blockchain is the underlying technology—a decentralized ledger that records transactions securely. Cryptocurrency is a digital asset built on blockchain networks (e.g., Bitcoin runs on its own blockchain).
Q: Are big tech companies mining Bitcoin?
A: No major tech firms like Ant Group or Tencent are actively mining Bitcoin. Their focus is on enterprise blockchain solutions rather than proof-of-work mining.
Q: Can small businesses benefit from blockchain?
A: Absolutely. Platforms like Ant’s Open Consortium Chain allow SMEs to build traceable supply chains or secure IP rights at low cost—democratizing access to advanced tech.
Q: Is Libra still active after regulatory challenges?
A: Yes. Though scaled back, the project continues under stricter compliance frameworks and remains influential in shaping global stablecoin policy.
Q: How does blockchain improve cross-border payments?
A: By removing intermediaries and enabling near-instant settlement across borders—reducing fees and processing time from days to seconds.
Q: Will CBDCs replace private cryptocurrencies?
A: Unlikely. CBDCs serve national monetary policy goals, while private cryptos offer decentralization and censorship resistance—both will coexist in a diversified digital economy.
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As blockchain transitions from hype to utility, its integration into everyday life accelerates. From verifying donations to securing medical records, the technology is proving its worth beyond speculation. With continued investment from tech titans and growing institutional confidence, 2025 could mark the year blockchain truly goes mainstream.