Share this article
Walmart Looks to Blockchain for Better Package Tracking
A new patent filing finds retail giant Walmart seeking to utilize blockchain technology to solve problems when scheduling deliveries.
Updated Oct 28, 2022, 2:57 p.m. Published Jul 9, 2018, 2:00 a.m.
Make us preferred on Google
Walmart has yet another delivery-focused blockchain patent in the works.
The application published on July 5 is entitled "Delivery Reservation Apparatus and Method," and as suggested, it outlines a way for managing package reservations in the context of the purchaser not being available to actually receive it.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
It's the latest "smart delivery" intellectual property play from the retail giant, which in the past year has submitted a number of U.S. patent applications in this area. Indeed, the company seems to be looking at the technology as a way to automate elements of the delivery process, but to date, much of the company's public-facing work with blockchain has been focused on food supply chain tracking.
In the newly released filing, Walmart detail system of delivery lockers – located at a person's home, transportation hub or other location – that can safeguard the delivered items until their recipients can come and actually sign for them. Blockchain fits into the conceived picture as a method of connecting those lockers in order to track which ones are occupied and which ones are free to be used.
"Each space on the docking station has a corresponding capacity unit for each location on the docking station. The transactions for the capacity units are tracked in a ledger, with available capacity units indicating an open location on the docking station or contracted out capacity units indicating that either the location has a locker secured thereto or that the location is reserved for a future delivery," Walmart wrote, going on to add:
"In some embodiments, the docking stations utilize a blockchain reservation system. As such, each docking station can be a node within a blockchain network."
The application makes frequent reference to a "public ledger," suggesting that the proposed system would be openly accessible to some extent rather than closed off to certain participants. That leger, according to the filing, "contains a record of available and reserved capacity units for the plurality of locker docking stations."
This perhaps suggests that Walmart wouldn't necessarily be the only operator of these docking stations, and possibly is aimed at enabling a degree of participation by outside parties.
Image via Shutterstock
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Macro fears mask Ethereum’s momentum, SharpLink CEO says
SharpLink CEO Joseph Chalom argues that macro uncertainty is hiding a massive institutional shift toward Ethereum-based tokenization.
What to know:
The context: Former BlackRock Head of Digital Assets Strategy, and SharpLink CEO, Joseph Chalom says institutional giants are betting heavily on Ethereum to serve as the global infrastructure for asset tokenization, ignoring current price stagnation.
He outlines three key drivers for a projected 10x surge in Ethereum activity this year:
- BlackRock’s Larry Fink has signaled strong conviction that Ethereum will be the "toll road" for tokenized assets.
- Over 65% of all stablecoins and tokenized assets live on Ethereum, dwarfing Solana by a factor of ten.
- High-value projects prioritize Ethereum's decade-long record of security and liquidity over faster, cheaper alternatives.
Top Stories
