On April 6, the multichain decentralized application (DApp) protocol #Astar Network will release the second version of its smart contracts on its mainnet, which supports both the WebAssembly Virtual Machine (WASM VM) and the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).

Astar Network founder Sota Watanabe informed Cointelegraph in a statement that the new version would permit the development of new multichain apps as well as WASM or EVM projects within their network. With the new version, customers will be able to link their Astar projects to any Polkadot or EVM-based ecosystems, claims Watanabe.

The Astar Network team made the case in the announcement that having two virtual machines running at once and enabling communication between them is essential for the development of a layer-1 blockchain. The team argued that while if the Ethereum network's use of smart contracts helped usher in the Web3 revolution, it is insufficient on its own to create the #blockchain of the future.

The Astar team asked the neighborhood to join a panel discussion hosted by its management and a number of Polkadot developers to talk about how WASM can be used. A meeting will also be held with the infrastructure partners who will lay the groundwork for the WASM environment.

In other developments, Polygon, an Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution, has made its zkEVM beta available on its mainnet. This enables developers to create smart contracts more affordably. Zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs, according to Polygon creator Sandeep Nailwal, are the "holy grail of Ethereum scaling," he said on March 27.

Polkadot's creators, the Web3 Foundation, have reaffirmed their claim that the Polkadot (DOT) token is not a security in the meantime. The company reiterated on January 26 that DOT had already stopped being a security and that the US Securities and Exchange Commission had welcomed talks with the company.

This news is republished from https://coinaquarium.io/

Astar Network is at the forefront of leveraging global companies to tap into the thriving Web3 and blockchain market, especially in Japan. 

NFTStudio24 had the honor to attend Web3 VIP Drinks in Tokyo, an invitation-only event hosted by Astar Network, Blockdaemon, and 6 other companies. The event was an exciting networking opportunity for CEOs, co-founders, and other C-level executives to discuss different aspects of the Web3 industry. 

Chris Sharp and Sota Watanabe 

As a member of #Astar Network, #NFTStudio24  attended the discussion between Founder Sota Watanabe and Chris Sharp, CTO of Blockdaemon. Both personalities discussed the importance of forming a community, empowering developers, and working together to develop Web3 hosted in both English and Japanese languages. 

ASTAR has been making an effort to bring the global market to Japan. It is mainly an infrastructure for developing dApps with EVM and WASM smart contracts. However, CEO Watanabe shared that he wants to build a comprehensive ecosystem. He wants ASTAR to hold utility for non-developers for staking, and governance votes, and help them grow.

The conversation went on with the recent proposal on Astar’s forum called Peers Program. It is the “1st experiment to incentivize community members who are eager to run a node in regions where we have no Astar nodes.” The network aims to promote Decentralization by spreading nodes around the globe by involving its members. 

Astar’s efforts in Japan

With its innovative blockchain solutions, the organization is facilitating the adoption of #Web3 technologies and driving the growth of this emerging industry.  Through strategic collaborations with global companies, Astar Network is bringing cutting-edge technology, expertise, and resources to the Japanese Web3 market.

It wants to bridge the gap between international companies and the Web3 ecosystem. This will enable a robust exchange of knowledge, good practices, and market insights. Eventually, Astar can organically grow into a thriving network in the coming years. 

Blockdaemon is also a big name in the Japanese market. It is an independent blockchain node infrastructure. The company is also working hard to leverage the global Web3 market. CTO Sharp also talked about incentivizing the members of the community on the blockchain. 

Compared to the traditional market, the Web3 industry is working together closely by highlighting its community to climb to the top. This VIP Party was big proof that the #blockchain market is moving in a healthy direction. 

NFTStudio24 believes that the future of gaming lies in the integration of blockchain technology. They are providing their audience with the most up-to-date and insightful coverage of the Web3 gaming industry through various forms of content. 

“Japan market holds big potential for gaming because it ranks #3 in terms of the highest revenue generating industry. The Web3 games can easily join the Japan market with some help,” Hinza said in her presentation.

She points out the advantages of joining the Japanese market, which include strict regulations and infinite opportunities for Web3 platforms. Compared to other countries, Japan’s Government is highly involved with Web3, making it a perfect market to target. 

One of the biggest examples is #Astar Network Japan Lab, an organization backed by the government. All the big Web3 companies are registered within this network, allowing them to expand better. NFTStudio24 is a member of this organization to promote Web3 and Metaverse to the global community.

In fact, NFTStudo24 has its own Global Web3 Community and an Expert Alliance community whose members include The #Sandbox  co-founder Sebastien Borget, Unstoppable Domains SVP Sandy Carter, Rektguy creator OSF,  Lunar Strategy CEO Tim Haldorsson, and many more. 

The platform offers members public relation services and also collaborate to work on different projects in order to promote Web3 around the world. 

Among many projects, NFTStudio24 has initiated the “Metaverse for All” campaign in which the media platform partners with different universities to introduce Web3 and #Metaverse.  

Hinza says that young people need to be educated to fully adopt this new technology. 

So far, NFTStudio24 has already signed MOUs with 11 institutes in India, 25 institutes in Pakistan, and 9 institutes in Singapore to offer The Sandbox Academy courses to young students. Hinza shares they’re working on expanding their campaign in Nigeria, North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.