Astar Network named ‘Product of the Year’ at the JBA Annual Blockchain Award

by Arthur · December 23, 2022

Astar Network, the multi-chain smart contract platform, has been awarded Product of the Year at the 4th Annual Blockchain Award by the Japan Blockchain Association. This prestigious award recognizes the leading projects and individuals in the Japanese blockchain community.

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In addition to winning Product of the Year, they also named Astar Network’s founder and CEO, Sota Watanabe, as Person of the Year for the second consecutive year at the same event. This achievement demonstrates Sota’s significant contribution to the Japanese Web3 community and his dedication to driving innovation through the Astar Network.

“Sota Watanabe, founder and CEO of Astar Network, said,”We are delighted 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 up opportunities for entrepreneurs, developers and users alike.”

The Japanese government has made Web3 part of its national strategy. Sota Watanabe has helped lead the way. For example, Forbes 30 Under 30 chose him for both Asia and Japan. In addition, the country also recognized him as one of its best entrepreneurs. Sota also graces the cover of the latest issue of Forbes Japan magazine. Through his work with the Astar Network, Sota Watanabe has helped make Astar the first public blockchain from Japan to be listed there. despite the country’s strict listing rules.

What is Astar Network?

Astar Network is the leading Layer-1 chain in Japan. As a parachain of Polkadot, it enables developers to build interoperable dApps. It supports both EVM and WASM smart contracts with cross-consensus messaging (XCM) and cross-virtual machine messaging (XVM). These features make Astar Network the popular blockchain for developers and businesses interested in exploring the Japanese Web3 space.

Tthe Japanese government listed Astar Network’s original token, ASTR, as a cryptocurrency, not a security. This demonstrates the government’s confidence in the project and its potential to drive innovation in the Web3 area.

Astar Network’s unique Build2Earn model enables paying developers through a dApp staking mechanism for the code they write and the dApps they build. This model has helped create a vibrant ecosystem around the Astar Network, which has become Polkadot’s leading Parachain. All major stock exchanges and tier 1 venture capital firms support.

In conclusion, Astar Network and Sota Watanabe have received well-deserved recognition from the Japanese Web3 community and the Japan Blockchain Association. Astar Network, as the leading blockchain project in Japan, will actively unlock opportunities for entrepreneurs, developers and users as it continues to drive Web3 innovation in 2023 and beyond.