Watr, a blockchain infrastructure platform targeting the $20 trillion global commodities industry, has announced its transition to the Avalanche network. This strategic move is aimed at leveraging Avalanche’s blockchain features to enhance efficiency and drive innovation in the commodity trading and financing sector.

Why Watr Chose Avalanche

Watr’s decision to migrate to Avalanche, a leading layer-1 blockchain, underscores its commitment to integrating institutional-grade infrastructure with decentralized finance (DeFi) liquidity. This shift is expected to streamline real-world supply chains and bring commodities tradingβ€”encompassing metals, minerals, food, and fuelβ€”onto the blockchain.

β€œDespite being a $20 trillion industry, real-world assets like commodities have barely scratched the surface of onchain adoption,” stated John Nahas, Chief Business Officer at Ava Labs. β€œAvalanche is built for this exact momentβ€”with sovereign chains, low latency, and institutional-grade performance.”

Watr’s Vision for Blockchain in Commodities

Founded by Web3 and commodities experts from industry giants like Shell and JP Morgan, Watr aims to revolutionize the commodity trading space by digitizing its processes. The platform selected Avalanche for its robust developer ecosystem and increasing adoption by financial institutions such as JP Morgan and Citibank.

According to Watr, combining Avalanche’s high-performance blockchain with its own featuresβ€”like decentralized identity, traceability, and composable smart contractsβ€”will accelerate blockchain adoption in commodity markets. Maryam Ayati, Founder and President of Watr Foundation, highlighted this in a statement:

β€œEstablished Web3 concepts such as DeFi, Decentralized Identity, and smart contracts can address fundamental constraints in commodity financing, compliance, and trade. Building with Avalanche allows us to leapfrog the development cycle and leverage its ecosystem’s size and security to decisively take on this opportunity.”

Core Features of Watr

Watr’s platform integrates several key technologies to enhance commodity trading and financing:

  • WatrMrks: A traceability tool that provides end-to-end tracking of commodities across the supply chain.
  • WatrIDs: Decentralized identities tailored for professionals, businesses, and institutions to ensure secure and transparent operations.
  • NeoReserves: Liquidity pools designed to support DeFi applications in commodity finance.
  • VentureStream: A launchpad and investment hub for startups focused on commodity-tech innovations.

The Broader Implications

Watr’s partnership with Avalanche signals a growing trend of blockchain adoption in traditional industries. By integrating decentralized finance tools and blockchain technology, the platform aims to address key challenges in commodity markets, such as compliance, financing inefficiencies, and lack of transparency. This move could unlock significant opportunities for businesses and investors looking to tap into the global commodity trade.

With its innovative approach and strategic alignment with Avalanche, Watr is poised to lead the way in bringing real-world assets like commodities into the blockchain era.