Consensus service for blockchain networks

A computer-implemented method for establishing consensus in a blockchain network, a total ordering service for a blockchain network, and a computer program product. One embodiment may comprise providing a first total ordering service (TOS) gateway for an organization in a blockchain network, generating a symmetric key at the first TOS gateway, splitting the symmetric key to generate a plurality of key shares, and distributing at least one of the plurality of key shares to a second TOS gateway in the blockchain network. The TOS gateway in some embodiments may have read/write access to a shared message queue that makes messages available to each other TOS gateway in the blockchain network. Some embodiments may further comprise recovering the symmetric key by requesting one of the key shares from the second gateway in the blockchain network, and reconstructing the symmetric key using the one of the key shares.