Overstock's Medici Invests $2.5 Million in Grain Tech Firm's Blockchain Pivot

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Overstock subsidiary Medici Ventures is investing in a software firm looking to store grain transactions on a blockchain.

The company announced Tuesday it was purchasing $2.5 million of equity stake in GrainChain, a nearly six-year-old company which develops software tools to aid farmers and purchasers in the grain industry.

Medici's purchase gives it a 10 percent ownership stake in the company, with the option to purchase another 10 percent at a future date.

While GrainChain originally developed internet of things-focused software, CEO Luis Macias told CoinDesk that the company began looking into utilizing a blockchain ledger about two years ago.

To combat these issues, the company is developing a blockchain platform that makes it easier to track grain and connect with a larger set of buyers, Macias said.

"What it's doing is not only leveling the playing field for the farmer but giving a more accurate vision of where that grain is coming from, how it's being paid and how it's moving through the market. It's eliminating the need for multiple-tier middlemen in the industry."

The company expects to go live with the platform by the first quarter of next year.

In addition to grain tracking, the platform utilizes a token, dubbed GrainPay, to facilitate payments.

The dollar-backed stablecoin is meant for internal use only, and is utilized in conjunction with the contracts farmers create with buyers.

Macias cited contracts involving farmers in Argentina.

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