- COPA’s Blockchain Zone works to curb NPE behavior and protect blockchain technology.
- Spiral leader and COPA member Steve Lee highlighted the group’s larger initiatives.
To protect blockchain developers from ‘patent trolls’, the Blockchain Zone was launched by the Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance (COPA) in collaboration with Unified Patents.
The initiative targets non-practicing enterprises (NPEs), or those who own patents but don’t actually do anything; these groups often use the exorbitant costs of lawsuits to force companies to pay out large sums of money in settlements.
Protection against frivolous lawsuits
The disclosure shows that the percentage of cases in the United States attributable to NPEs has remained constant at 58% over the past five years. Together with more than 300 other companies, COPA’s Blockchain Zone works to curb NPE behavior and protect blockchain technology from frivolous lawsuits.
Spiral leader and COPA member Steve Lee highlighted the group’s larger initiatives, citing their previous work disputing false claims about the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the man believed to be responsible for creating Bitcoin.
Smaller companies and inventors in the field are sometimes held back by costly and time-consuming patent litigation, which typically results in settlements. The goal of Blockchain Zone’s defensive approach is to change that by protecting companies and developers from baseless lawsuits.
To further protect blockchain-related businesses from unnecessary and expensive legal disputes, COPA will provide members with pass-through protection at no additional cost. This is especially critical for smaller developers, as they may not have the financial resources to engage in lengthy legal disputes.
When it comes to copyrights that hinder innovation, Unified Patents has a history of success in the fight against copyrights. The Transactions Zone has successfully challenged hundreds of patent claims related to authentication technologies, online bill payments and electronic transactions. As a result, the new project will likely do the same, keeping blockchain technology open and accessible to everyone.
