KodakCoin helps moribund Kodak's stock price to more than double in a day

Blockchain for photographers intended to track unauthorised use of pictures

Eastman Kodak has become the latest company to sprinkle some magical cryptocurrency pixie dust over itself, causing its share price to more than double in just one day.

It comes after the company unveiled KodakCoin, a mechanism that it claims will enable photographers to licence their work and ensure they get paid for every use of it.

CNBC reports that shares in Kodak more than doubled on Tuesday, closing at $6.80.

It's not the first company to cover itself in crypto-magic: The Long Island Iced Tea Company recently changed its name to Long Blockchain, tripling its stock price in 24 hours.

The new currency, developed with Wenn Digital, will initially be offered to accredited investors from 31 January in the UK, US, and Canada.

"Kodak has always sought to democratise photography and make licensing fair to artists. These technologies give the photography community an innovative and easy way to do just that," said Kodak CEO Jeff Clarke.

Cryptocurrency and Blockchain have seen a massive surge in public interest (though not always complete mechanical understanding) since Bitcoin started to surge in value, making some casual investors who had bought a few when it launched a decade ago, into overnight millionaires.

Indeed, the shadowy founder of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto (whoever he or she really is) is now one of the 50 richest people in the world, although it's understood that they haven't touched their stash since 2009.

The KodakOne site that covers both the currency itself and the rights issues arising, can also search the web for unauthorised use of a photographer's work, which could mean we see a lot more in the way of takedown orders from people who don't understand how photo licencing works.

The idea could also be applied to the music industry, with the Performing Rights Society or similar organisation producing its own version for the music industry.

Although it belatedly licensed a smartphone last year, Kodak has never really found its feet since photography went digital - something that it dabbled in, but sat on the technology for fear that it would pole-axe the company's lucrative film-making and processing businesses.