OVHcloud sees blockchain aiding enterprise security

OVHcloud has published research showing that 73% of Web3 professionals believe blockchain can improve enterprise security, resiliency and transparency. The findings also identify knowledge gaps and sustainability concerns as major barriers to wider adoption.

The survey found that 52% of respondents viewed a lack of understanding of blockchain as a significant threat to its acceptance in business. Another 44% said perceptions of blockchain's sustainability footprint were a clear obstacle, while 46% said the technology remained closely associated with cybercriminals.

The results reflect a market in which interest in blockchain use cases is rising, but confidence in practical deployment remains uneven. Respondents pointed to potential applications ranging from system trust and data verification to identity management and AI governance.

Asked where blockchain could help the enterprise, 27% said it could improve AI explicability and traceability. A further 61% cited federated learning, in which data is shared between machine learning platforms without exposing the underlying datasets.

This use case focuses on whether distributed ledger systems can help organisations verify data without altering it and reduce the risk of tampering as information moves between systems. The research suggests many Web3 professionals see blockchain as a way to establish trust across multiple parties where no single central authority controls the process.

OVHcloud's findings also indicate that many respondents expect broader adoption within a relatively short timeframe. Two-thirds, or 67%, said enterprise-wide blockchain integration is between one and four years away, while 16% said they had already seen the technology integrated into enterprise environments.

That mix of current implementation and near-term expectations points to a shift from experimentation to more defined business applications. Even so, the data suggests adoption will depend as much on perception and internal understanding as on technical progress.

Omar Abi Issa, Global Lead for Blockchain, Web3 and AI at OVHcloud, said one of the biggest obstacles remains concern over blockchain's environmental impact.

"According to a recent paper from UCL, the energy consumption per transaction of Solana - an energy-efficient proof-of-stake blockchain protocol - is approximately five and a half million times better than that of bitcoin, which runs on proof of work," said Omar Abi Issa, Global Lead for Blockchain, Web3 and AI at OVHcloud.

He said industry understanding also remained a critical issue.

"Blockchain can be a power-efficient technology if used correctly and responsibly, but a lack of understanding across the industry has been preventing many organisations from embracing it," said Abi Issa.

Identity and AI

Beyond sustainability, the research highlights growing interest in blockchain as a tool for privacy-preserving enterprise processes. One example is zero-knowledge identity mechanisms, which allow a user to prove identity or a specific attribute without revealing the underlying personal data.

Such approaches are attracting attention in sectors where companies need to share proof of credentials with partners, customers or regulators while limiting the amount of personal information disclosed. Identity management remains central to many enterprise workflows, particularly where third-party integrations are involved.

Abi Issa said decentralised trust mechanisms could address weaknesses in older systems.

"Many legacy systems are either controlled or hosted by centralized authorities," said Abi Issa. "Blockchain provides a decentralized platform with independent trust mechanisms that can ensure transparency and explicability while preserving user privacy at the same time. For example, zero-knowledge identity mechanisms can provide proof of identity without exposing user data. Identity management is the foundation of many enterprise processes today, and by keeping user privacy intact while still integrating with third parties, we can remove risk and preserve functionality simultaneously."

The findings place blockchain within a broader debate over how companies govern digital trust, especially as AI systems become more widely deployed. The reference to explicability and traceability suggests some practitioners see blockchain not as a standalone technology trend, but as part of the infrastructure needed to record how data moves and how decisions are supported across complex systems.

The research indicates that sentiment among Web3 professionals remains positive despite continuing scepticism in parts of the wider business community. It also suggests practical acceptance may depend less on enthusiasm from specialists than on whether organisations can address concerns over energy use, criminal associations and a lack of internal expertise.

"Blockchain has the potential to transform our enterprises, enhance trust in systems like AI and improve privacy for all," said Abi Issa. "In fact, one in six [16%] blockchain professionals told us that they have already seen blockchain being integrated into the enterprise today, and it's these smart, forward-thinking businesses that will see the benefits first and blaze a trail for others to follow in the future."