Astar Network receives award at JBA’s 4th Annual Blockchain Award

• Astar Network emerged as the winner of the Product of the Year category.

• Founder and CEO Sota Watanabe also won Person of the Year for the second time in a row.

Astar Network is a multi-chain smart contract platform that provides true cross-consensus messaging (XCM) and cross-virtual machine (XVM) interoperability to developers. In the recent fourth annual Blockchain Award organized by the Japan Blockchain Association (JPA), Astar Network emerged as the winner of the Product of the Year category. Founder and CEO Sota Watanabe also won Person of the Year for the second time in a row.

JPA exists as the largest blockchain association in Japan with around 171 companies. They include “bitFlyer, Coincheck, Microsoft, GMO, EY, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, Toyota and ConsenSys”. In a survey conducted by JBA, both Watanabe and his company were named favorites of the Japanese Web3 community. Watanabe has made a huge contribution to the Japanese government’s decision to make Web3 part of its national strategy.

In his remarks, Watanabe lauded the organizers of the awards for recognizing their commitment to accelerating web3 innovation in the country.

We are pleased to have been recognized by the Japanese Web3 community. As Japan’s leading blockchain project, we remain committed to accelerating Web3 innovation through Astar. In 2023 and beyond, we will leverage our presence in Japan to open opportunities for entrepreneurs, developers and users alike.

Astar Network collaborates with NTT Docomo

Watanabe was also featured in Forbes 30 under 30 for Asia and Japan. On top of that, he made the cover of Forbes Japan magazine, the latest issue. Astar Network was the first public blockchain from the country to be listed there. This is more plausible considering the strict listing regulation in Japan.

Last month, it was reported that Astar Network had brought in NTT Docomo, Japan’s top mobile operator to work together for mass adoption as well as social implementation. Their collaboration focused on three fundamental areas which are sustainable development goals, eliminating technology gaps and uncertainties, and nurturing Web3 talent.

Watanabe said:

Web3 and related technologies are crossing the chasm and are on the brink of mass adoption. In this context, more robust cases with excellent user experience on an infrastructure that is available to all are essential. It’s about creating a community where more people can really enjoy the benefits of Web3, not just engineers. In cooperation with NTT Docomo, a company that has created case studies that have been used by tens of millions of people, we will spread Web3 even further.

Astar Network is the leading Layer-1 chain in Japan with its original token ASTR registered by the Japanese government as a cryptocurrency. It has become Polkadot’s leading parachain globally and is backed by major exchanges and tier 1 VCs.