ASCH is a new generation block chain innovation application development platform based on side chain structure which is efficient, flexible, safe, low-cost and reused. With the use of JavaScript as its application programming language, the platform makes use of relational databases to store data, drawing similarities between developing a DAPP and developing a traditional web application. This type of platform carries a great deal of appeal to developers, as well as small and medium enterprises, since its ease of use results in greater productivity, fuelling and facilitating a more prosperous ecosystem in the process. ASCH is open in design and is not limited to any particular niche market such as news aggregation, the issue of assets, arbitration, the existence of certificate, property rights certification, the Internet of things, supply chain finance, asset digitization, commodity tracing, prepaid card system, block chain contract deposit etc. In terms of the consensus mechanism, ASCH has inherited and enhanced the DPOS algorithm, simultaneously reducing the probability of forking and double spending by a significant degree. Furthermore, ASCH’S side chain, i.e. the application mode, not only improves scalability by delaying the expansion of the block chain, but also makes DAPPS more flexible and personalized. ASCH is a forward-looking, low-cost and one-stop application solution, which is believed to be a new generation of incubator for decentralized applications. Adhering to the values of enterprise accomplishments, innovation leading, technology belief and embracing future, ASCH is devoted to building a global commercial block chain application ecosystem, which is not only using block chain technology to empower various industries, but also being the base of the world class economy. The services provided by the ASCH platform include a public chain and a set of application SDKs; the public chain is called the main chain. The ASCH application SDKs can be used to develop blockchain applications with a free-running, immutable ledger. These applications are also known as side chain applications. An application SDK has a built-in cross-chain protocol, through which the side chain can communicate with the main chain. In other words, the main chain has the function of asset routing, through which a variety of assets can flow among different applications. ASCH’s ecological system contains multiple chains, with each chain possessing the ability to carry multiple tokens or assets. Each token or asset can also be transferred to multiple chains.
OriginTrail provides a helpful protocol solution to the problem of maintaining trust among all players involved in bringing a product to market by making the “chain” in “supply chain” more literal. Using blockchain technology, OriginTrail can append immutable data to products as they take each step along the supply route. Thus, each participant not only verifies that their conditions are being met but that at every previous stage, the right conditions were also met by everyone else. This is achieved by making an application layer that allows data to be collected in the real world, and then stored on the blockchain. OriginTrail started out by testing their tracking with organic beef products in 2014, and they are still mostly involved in the tracking of food products in general. It wasn’t until 2016 that they introduced a blockchain into their system. In January 2018, they raised US$22.5 million in their ICO. Since their ICO they’ve successfully launched their testnet, implemented privacy features, and achieved compliance with the GS1 standards that are integral to their business model. Their roadmap is robust and full of details, citing certifications with international bodies, alliances with companies, and entering new markets. Their mainnet is scheduled for launch in Q3 2018, and thereafter they appear to be on track to having all their services fully operational by 2020. OriginTrail is not the first or only company to recognize that supply chains could benefit a great deal from blockchain technology. Ambrosus is also going for the same market, though they seem to be focused on food and pharmaceuticals specifically. It should be noted that most supply chains have their own specific quirks, and so specialization might be be a good option. Another potential competitor of OriginTrail is Waltonchain, a company based in China that puts heavy emphasis on RFID chip scanning as part of their business model. In other words, where OriginTrail wants to leverage existing systems for their infrastructure, Waltonchain wants to try and establish new standards and methods. OriginTrail’s token is called TRAC, and it’s an ERC-20 token, making it storable on any ERC-20 compatible wallet. The total supply is capped at 500 million tokens. The value in TRACE tokens comes from their utility on the OriginTrail network. Tokens are spent to store, retrieve, and send data about supply chains. Since TRACE can be bought and sold in a speculative market, that creates the potential for the price to go up, which would be counter to the needs of people on the network looking for stable prices for setting and getting data. However, prices for data saving and retrieval will be determined by auction, which should counter increasing token value for those using OriginTrail as a service. The Internet of Things is a topic that gets a lot of press, and the general consensus is that it will be standard practice in the future for almost everything in the world to be tracked and traced for a wide variety of purposes. OriginTrail is one company that is demonstrating a concrete plan for exactly how that will be manifest. There really isn’t much to criticize in terms of the overall intention of the project. OriginTrail has identified a weak point in the very important world of supply chain management, that of reliable transfer of information all the way up and down the chain, and aims to provide a workable and clearly understood solution.