Microsoft is to position JPMorgan's private version of ethereum, Quorum, as the cornerstone of its cloud-based enterprise blockchain offering to customers.
Under terms of an MoU signed between the two companies, Quorum will become the first distributed ledger platform available through Azure Blockchain Service, enabling JP Morgan and Microsoft customers to build and scale blockchain networks in the cloud.
In addition to providing a reasy-to-use blockchain platform for third party enteprises, Quorum will continue to power JPMorgan and Microsoft's own blockchain programmes and first-party apps, such as the Interbank Information Network, JPM Coin and Microsoft’s Xbox royalty payment process among others.
“We are incredibly proud of the success Quorum has had over the last four years, as organisations around the world use Quorum to solve complex business and societal problems via blockchain solutions,” says Umar Farooq, global head of blockchain, JPMorgan. “We are delighted to partner alongside Microsoft as we continue to strengthen Quorum and expand capabilities and services on the platform. Azure will bring unique strengths to enterprise clients using Quorum.”
The move comes just days after Amazon Web Services underlined its determination to stake a claim to the emerging promise of cloud networks in easing large-scale blockchain deployments, with the introduction of Amazon Managed Blockchain.