Astar Network Bag Award at 4th Annual JBA Blockchain Award

• Astar Network came out on top in 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 smart contract Platform for multi-chain that offers true interoperability with Cross Consensus Messaging (XCM) and Cross Virtual Machine (XVM) to developers. At the recent 4th Annual Blockchain Award hosted by the Japan Blockchain Association (JPA), Astar Network emerged as the winner in 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 the JBA, Watanabe and his company were named as the favorites of the Japanese Web3 community. Watanabe contributed enormously to the Japanese government’s decision to integrate Web3 into its national strategy.

In his commentary, Watanabe praised the organizers of the awards for recognizing their commitment to accelerating Web3 innovation in the country.

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

Astar Network collaborates with NTT Docomo

Watanabe was also featured in the Forbes 30 under 30 for Asia and Japan. Besides that, he made the cover of Forbes Japan magazine, the latest edition. Astar Network was the first public blockchain in the country to be listed there. This is more plausible given the strict regulations in place in Japan.

Last month, it was reported that Astar Network had onboarded NTT Docomo, Japan’s leading mobile operator, to work together for mass adoption as well as social implementation. Their collaboration focused on three core areas which are the Sustainable Development Goals, addressing technology gaps and insecurities, and developing Web3 talent.

Watanabe said:

Web3 and related technologies are poised to cross the chasm and are poised for mass adoption. In this context, more robust boxes with an excellent user experience on an infrastructure accessible to all are essential. It’s about creating a society where more people can actually enjoy the benefits of Web3, not just engineers. Together with NTT Docomo, a company that has created case studies that have been used by tens of millions of people, we will continue to deliver Web3.

Astar Network is the leading layer-1 chain in Japan with its native ASTR token registered by the Japanese government as a cryptocurrency. He became spotted world leader in parachain and is backed by major exchanges and Tier 1 VCs.