LONDON  - * Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures has bought into blockchain-based trading platform Vakt with $5 million in new shares, Vakt said on Tuesday.

* Aramco Trading Co, a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, will use the platform.

* The VAKT platform specialises in post-trade processing. It has been live since the end of 2018 with a focus on the key North Sea crude oil grades used to set benchmark dated Brent.

* The founders included majors BP, Equinor and Shell, independent traders Gunvor, Koch Supply & Trading and Mercuria as well as banks ABN Amro, ING and Societe Generale.

* Chevron, Reliance Industries and Total have also joined.

* Vakt has not disclosed the volume of trade that uses its platform.

(Reporting by Julia Payne Editing by David Goodman ) ((julia.payne@thomsonreuters.com; +44 207 542 1836;))