Investing.com – A growing number of the world’s top companies are turning to blockchain technology to improve how business is conducted.The latest example is IBM (NYSE:IBM) and A.P. Moller Maersk, who are forming a joint venture to create a global trading platform for the shipping business,Maersk is already working with E&Y and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) on using blockchain for marine insurance. DeBeers just announced it will launch a blockchain platform to track the movement of diamonds.Six out of ten of the world’s largest companies surveyed by Juniper Research said they are either deploying or considering the technology. IBM has teamed up with Walmart (NYSE:WMT), Unilever (LON:ULVR), Nestle and others to use blockchain to improve food safety in the retail giant’s supply chain.Both Visa and MasterCard are experimenting with the technology as an alternative to swiping cards in making payments.And Microsoft is working with Israel’s Bank Hapoalim on a bank guarantee program.Other companies are working directly with major cryptocurrency players such as Ripple and Ethereum to apply their blockchain technology.