It’s always about the applications, isn’t it? No matter what the new technology, however groundbreaking or innovative, the response from businesses and users always seems to be: Show me the apps. The Vanbex Group specializes in helping companies that utilize blockchain develop and market their services, products and applications. Lisa Cheng, founder of the Vanbex Group, spoke to Jeff Frick, cohost of theCUBE, from the SiliconANGLE Media team, about the new blockchain apps we can expect to hear a lot of buzz about.

Running down a few off the top of her head, Cheng said, “There’s one company … that is doing smart contracts for unlocking security doors.” She sees this as useful for Airbnb, Inc. users, because, “There’s no person that needs to be there to give you the key to unlock the door, so you can use the Airbnb.”

She talked about another app that uses smart contracts to heat a thermos, for instance, remotely by using the blockchain.

Will 2016 be a pivotal year for blockchain?

Cheng agreed with Frick that the presence of behemoths like IBM and Intel at the conference bodes well for blockchain’s entrance into the mainstream. She said that this will be a year to look for “smart contracts enabling different types of banking relationships and merchant relationships.”

Watch the full interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE’s coverage of the Blockchain Conference San Francisco 2016.

Photo by SiliconANGLE