Fireblocks Integrates Astar Network: Empowering Institutional Investors in Japan’s Booming DeFi Ecosystem

By 0xK2 07/26/23 12:45 PM

Fireblocks, an enterprise platform specializing in digital asset operations, has successfully integrated Astar Network into its ecosystem. This integration will have far-reaching implications, enabling over 650 banks and institutional investors to securely access their digital assets on Astar and leverage its thriving DeFi ecosystem. Additionally, users will have the capability to trade, swap, lend digital assets, and access leading DeFi protocols like ArthSwap through the Fireblocks platform.

Astar Network has rapidly emerged as a prominent blockchain platform in Japan, earning popularity for its support of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) environment and WebAssembly (Wasm) integration, making it a versatile and interoperable multichain platform.

Today, we announce that @FireblocksHQ is integrated into Astar today.

Fireblocks is an enterprise-grade platform delivering a secure infrastructure for moving, storing, and issuing digital assets.

You will see more and more enterprises are coming to Astar with Fireblocks. pic.twitter.com/eMNE4UfrWy

— Sota Watanabe (@WatanabeSota) July 25, 2023

Stephen Richardson, the Managing Director of Financial Markets and Head of APAC at Fireblocks, expressed his excitement about the integration, stating that Fireblocks has consistently focused on fostering institutional adoption within the digital asset industry. By harnessing their highly secure network and MPC-based wallet infrastructure, Fireblocks aims to facilitate seamless access to Astar’s assets for banks, exchanges, OTCs, and hedge funds, thereby bolstering digital asset adoption in Japan.

To commemorate this collaboration, Astar, Fireblocks, and bitbank came together for a special event during WebX in Tokyo, which saw the participation of over 200 guests eager to deepen their understanding of web3 technology within the corporate sector. The event commenced with a panel discussion featuring notable personalities like Sota Watanabe, Founder of Astar Network and CEO of Startale Labs, Atsushi Kuwabara, Head of Sales Division and Head of Business Development at bitbank, and Stephen Richardson. During this session, they highlighted the increasing importance of enterprises in web3, particularly in Japan, where the government is actively exploring ways to leverage web3 technology.

The event served as a platform for executives from global enterprises, web3 founders, and venture capitalists to network and engage in discussions on using decentralized protocols and blockchain-powered networks to revolutionize business models. Notably, it marked the first time many Japanese companies learned how to utilize DeFi technology securely, thanks to an exclusive demo of the Fireblocks platform on Astar Network.

Fireblocks has rapidly grown in prominence over the past few years, gaining a strong reputation for its unwavering commitment to security. The platform achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first service provider to have its digital asset infrastructure system certified by the Cryptocurrency Certification Consortium (C4). With its multiparty computation (MPC) technology, Fireblocks has attracted clients from traditional finance institutions such as BNY Mellon, ANZ Bank, NAB, and Japanese trading platforms like CoinTrade.

Maarten Henskens, CEO of Astar Foundation, emphasized that Fireblocks’ standing as a leading platform for institutional investors made this integration a promising step towards enhancing adoption. Institutions interested in building on Astar can now do so securely and confidently safeguard their digital assets.

In conclusion, the integration of Astar Network into the Fireblocks platform represents a significant milestone for the institutional adoption of blockchain technology and DeFi in Japan. As the DeFi ecosystem continues to expand, institutions now have a robust and secure solution to manage their digital assets, facilitating further growth and innovation in the digital asset industry.

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