What is Hyperledger?
Blockchain is a technology used and developed by many large companies worldwide. This article explains how those organizations collaborate on a shared industrial blockchain effort and what Hyperledger does.
Imagine a group of large companies and entities working together to develop open blockchain technology and promote the ecosystem. That's essentially what Hyperledger is.
What is Hyperledger?
According to the Hyperledger project, it is a collaborative open-source effort to advance blockchain technologies across industries under the Linux Foundation. In practical terms, Hyperledger is an open ecosystem for industrial blockchain development.
Hyperledger is not Bitcoin, it is not a cryptocurrency, and it is not a single vendor's blockchain. The platform provides frameworks and tools for enterprise-grade, permissioned distributed ledgers rather than issuing a native token. For related tools and automation, see our AI trading tools.
Linux Foundation Hyperledger Project
The project began in late 2015 with developers and organizations from sectors such as manufacturing, banking, IoT, and supply chain, aiming to make blockchain more accessible for enterprise developers. Hyperledger now includes more than one hundred member organizations, ranging from major technology firms and financial institutions to blockchain startups.
Why is Hyperledger important?
Hyperledger's significance comes from its focus on open-source collaboration for enterprise frameworks, governance by a cross-industry leadership committee, and the ability to align technical standards with business requirements. The consortium model helps members share components, governance, and guidance without relying on a public cryptocurrency to secure the network.
One platform, no cryptocurrency
A defining characteristic of Hyperledger projects is the absence of an associated cryptocurrency. As the project's leadership has stated, avoiding a native coin removes many political and economic complications tied to maintaining a global currency and keeps the focus on enterprise software and interoperability.
Hyperledger projects
There are multiple projects under the Hyperledger umbrella; two prominent ones are:
Hyperledger Fabric (IBM)
Initiated with significant contributions from IBM, Fabric is a modular, permissioned blockchain framework designed for enterprise use. It supports pluggable components, channels for private transactions, and membership services that help organizations deploy scalable, permissioned networks.
Hyperledger Sawtooth (Intel)
Developed with leadership from Intel, Sawtooth is a modular blockchain suite that introduced the Proof of Elapsed Time (PoET) consensus mechanism. PoET relies on a secure CPU instruction to randomly and safely select a leader (validator) without an energy-intensive mining race, making it suitable for a range of use cases from IoT to finance.
Other projects such as Composer, Explorer, and Indy provide additional tooling and identity-focused solutions, each addressing different enterprise needs under the Hyperledger umbrella.
Conclusion
Hyperledger offers a coordinated, enterprise-focused approach to blockchain development backed by the Linux Foundation and a wide set of member organizations. Its permissioned frameworks and modular tools make it a key option for companies seeking distributed ledger technology without a native cryptocurrency. Learn more about our platform and offerings in the how PlayOnBit works page, check pricing, or explore related tools like our trading bot for Binance and BitMEX AI trading bot. For more articles see the blog.