Chapter 5. Current BaaS Offerings
This chapter is intended to help you compare BaaS providers. It is focused specifically on BaaS offerings, which include at least one underlying blockchain platform like Ethereum or Hyperledger Fabric, as well as a complete turnkey package of architecture, infrastructure, security, and other services that support and enhance the capabilities of the blockchain platform.
Three Approaches to Blockchain
As we mentioned in Chapter 2, there are three primary approaches for implementing a blockchain network:
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By implementing a blockchain platform (like making a cake from scratch)
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By implementing a BaaS (like using a cake mix and shared equipment)
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By using SaaS with blockchain (like buying a slice of cake already made)
When using a BaaS, you are also “renting” most of the equipment and the services of the behind-the-scenes experts involved to make that equipment run.
The Big Four BaaS Providers
IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, and AWS are the leaders in the BaaS space. Each of these providers offers easy point-and-click cloud services that can be activated with a credit card. Some offer free trials and other try-and-buy promotions.
If you’re already using one of these providers for other business applications, you might consider using their BaaS. This helps ease integrating other services into your blockchain workflow, and enables you to manage the blockchain platform using a familiar, integrated administration interface. Also, support options are usually better if you already have a relationship with the provider.
IBM and Microsoft were at the table first with their BaaS versions of Hyperledger Fabric on the IBM Cloud and Ethereum on Microsoft Azure. Oracle got a later start in blockchain, but made up for lost time with feature-rich enterprise offerings. AWS also got a late start, but rather than building upon one or more of the existing blockchain platforms like the others, AWS offers blockchain templates, giving a choice of multiple blockchain platforms with setup helpers and managed cloud containers.
Current BaaS Providers
This list of major BaaS providers as of the time of writing includes the country in which the BaaS is based, the blockchain platform(s) available on the BaaS, the primary purpose for which the BaaS is intended, and key features.
| BaaS Name | Country | Blockchain platform(s)a | Intended purpose | Key feature(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alibaba Cloud | China | Hyperledger Fabric, Ant Blockchain | Enterprise | Full blockchain toolkit including SDK, smart contracts, and user certificate management. |
| Ardor | Denmark | Nxt Blockchain | Enterprise | Permissioned blockchain using public consensus. Advanced parent-child chain architecture. |
| AWS | US | Ethereum, Corda, Hyperledger Fabric | Enterprise | Blockchain templates guide you through setup; fast deployment. |
| BaaSid | Singapore | Ethereum | Decentralized IDs | ID-as-a-service—API providing blockchain as a service for identification. |
| Baidu Blockchain | China | Ethereum | Enterprise | Facilitates dApp development. |
| BlockApps STRATO | US | Ethereum | Enterprise | Launch and run programmable and scalable private business networks. |
| Bloq Cloud | US | Ethereum | Enterprise | Spin up private cluster of nodes to access public blockchain networks. |
| Chainlink | US | Ethereum | Enterprise | API providing tamper-proof I/O for smart contracts on any platform. Works with Google BigQuery. |
| CryptoWerk Horizon | US | Ethereum | Enterprise | API that creates a tamper-proof record of digital assets. |
| Dragon Chain | US | Interchain/Ethereum | Enterprise | Developed within the Walt Disney Company, then open sourced; public/private hybrid. |
| du | UAE | Ethereum, Hyperledger Fabric | Smart cities | Supports Smart Dubai government transactions with document validation. |
| Dun & Bradstreet | US | Dun & Bradstreet’s Blockchain Solution | Enterprise blockchain verifier | ID-as-a-service—API checks blockchain hash for a company’s Dun & Bradstreet Listing, streamlines member onboarding, avoids duplicate identification and credit tracking systems. |
| Factom Harmony | US | Factom Blockchain | Enterprise | Use Factom blockchain without including cryptocurrency or need to manage infrastructure. |
| GeeqChain | Canada | Ethereum | Enterprise | Public blockchain IaaS, Proof of Honesty protocol. |
| HPE Mission Critical DLT | US | Corda | Enterprise | Fault tolerance, scalability. |
| Huawei Blockchain Service | China | Hyperledger Fabric | Enterprise | Supply chain, tokenized securities, ID verification, and audits. |
| IBM Blockchain | US | Hyperledger Fabric | Enterprise | Mature and easy to use. Many real production use cases. |
| JD Chain | China | JD Blockchain Open Platform | Enterprise | Build your own APIs, high performance, low cost. |
| Kaleido (ConcenSys) | US | Ethereum, Quorum | Enterprise | Build and run cross-cloud, hybrid enterprise ecosystems. |
| Kilroy Blockchain | US | Hyperledger, Ethereum | Fast prototypes | Multitiered architecture includes ability to switch out blockchain technology without impacting applications. |
| Microsoft Azure | US | Ethereum, Corda, Hyperledger Fabric | Enterprise | Has Azure Blockchain Workbench, integrates with other MS technologies; reduced time to assemble finished blockchain system. Hardware-level blockchain encryption available through partnership with Intel. |
| Oracle Blockchain | US | Hyperledger Fabric | Enterprise | Advanced, enterprise-grade blockchain with fully comprehensive feature set. Integrates with Oracle and NetSuite. |
| Paystand | US | Hyperledger Fabric | Verifiable payments | Blockchain notarized payment requests, receipts, and certificates. |
| Salesforce Blockchain | US | Hyperledger Sawtooth | Verifiable datasets | Share and deliver verified datasets (in beta, coming 2020). |
| SAP | Germany | Hyperledger Fabric, Multichain, Quorum | Enterprise | BaaS abstraction layer that allows blockchain to be easily integrated with SAP applications. |
| Skuchain EC3 | US | Hyperledger Fabric | Supply chain | Sharing of data with selective obfuscation of sensitive data, all the way down to the level of cells in a spreadsheet. |
| Stratis | UK | Stratis Blockchain | C# and .NET projects | Blockchain built in C# and .NET easier to integrate with those projects. Runs on Azure Cloud. |
a Specific blockchain platforms that can be included in a BaaS ( Ethereum, Hyperledger, Quorum, Corda, Stratis, Factom, etc.) are not explored in this report. To find out more, please research the individual platforms listed. | ||||
Choosing a BaaS Provider
Some points to consider when choosing a BaaS:
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Do you need permissioned or permissionless blockchain, or a combination of the two?
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Do you want to store the blockchain in cloud-based containers? Will some of the storage be on-premises, behind a firewall?
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Do you want to try more than one blockchain platform before you make a final decision on technology?
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What systems do you want to interface with? Do the right APIs exist in the BaaS you’re considering?
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Do you have any geographical requirements for your project?
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Do you want to hide certain data yet make it so it can be tested for a condition (zero-knowledge proof)?
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Do you already use a certain cloud provider and want to easily integrate with other offerings?
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Is the provider a brand you know and trust? If not, can they provide references?
Summary
BaaS represents a specific set of functionality that is added on top of a blockchain platform. BaaS can make what is a complex development, deployment, and management process into a cafeteria-style solution with behind-the-scenes technical resources. Since the management of infrastructure takes place in the cloud, BaaS is a cost-effective way to spin up blockchain networks.
BaaS should not be confused with SaaS with blockchain, which is also a cloud-based application, often industry-vertical, that includes blockchain features. To further distinguish the two:
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BaaS is an alternative to building your blockchain network from the ground up by using a hosted, cloud-based blockchain solution. You may start with a BaaS, then build a custom solution around it by integrating other systems, building a SaaS frontend, or both.
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SaaS with blockchain further embeds blockchain by placing it as a component inside another cloud-based application such as Salesforce.
Most BaaS providers will give a demo upon request, and some offer a trial period for you to see how their system works and make a decision on whether or not to commit. Also, many providers of BaaS products offer consulting and custom development services. If these things are important to you, weigh that into your consideration when choosing your BaaS.