NTT DOCOMO partners with Japan’s largest blockchain company Astar Network to accelerate Web3 adoption

NTT Docomo, Japan’s largest mobile operator with $40B annual revenue, and Astar Network have joined forces to explore and accelerate the adoption and social implementation of Web3. As part of the partnership, NTT Docomo will be investing $5 billion in Web3 technologies over the next 5-6 years.

The announcement comes just two months after Astar listed its native token ASTR, making it the first asset from Polkadot (not including DOT) to list on Binance.

Web3 is a new iteration of the Internet that incorporates decentralization based on blockchain technology. Unlike Web 2.0 where data and content are centralized in the hands of Big Tech companies, Web3 revolves around the idea of decentralization and incorporates the use of blockchain technologies, such as various cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Web3 is a user-centric internet model powered by blockchain technology that prioritizes decentralization, privacy, and trust minimization. It has the potential to make the web a safer and fairer place, but there is a high technical barrier to widespread adoption. Making it easier for individuals and businesses to integrate Web3 into their workflow is imperative if its benefits are to be fully realized.

To expedite the growth of Web3 in their native Japan, Astar Network and NTT Docomo will foster initiatives that address technological, social, and organizational challenges. A consortium will be established that gives individuals and corporations the ability to utilize tokens for governance, a cornerstone of Web3 which supports democratic decision-making.

Additionally, Astar Network and NTT Docomo have specifically agreed to collaborate on three fundamentals including Sustainable development goals by creating case studies for solving economic and environmental issues using web3.

The collaboration will also include the elimination of technology gaps and insecurity which removes barriers to broader Web3 adoption through education. Finally, the collaboration will also help in nurturing Web3 talent by providing opportunities for engineers and business leaders to learn and gain practical web3 experience.

Astar Network CEO Sota Watanabe said: “Web3 and related technologies are about to cross the chasm and are on the verge of mass adoption. In this context, more robust cases with excellent user experience on an infrastructure that is accessible to everyone is essential. It is about making a society where more people can truly enjoy the benefits of Web3, not just engineers. Collaborating with NTT Docomo, a company that has created case studies that have been used by tens of millions of people, we will further spread Web3.”

Forward-thinking nations such as Japan have recognized the potential for Web3 to kickstart a new economic era and are positioning themselves accordingly. One-third of the stock of NTT Docomo’s parent company, NTT, is owned by the Japanese government. Countries that are receptive to Web3 and its broad applications will be well-positioned to benefit as the technology transforms the way the world lives and works.

NTT DOCOMO, Japan’s leading mobile operator with over 84 million subscriptions, is one of the world’s foremost contributors to 3G, 4G, and 5G mobile network technologies. Beyond core communications services, DOCOMO is challenging new frontiers in collaboration with a growing number of entities (“+d” partners), creating exciting and convenient value-added services that change the way people live and work. Under a medium-term plan for 2020 and beyond, DOCOMO is pioneering a leading-edge 5G network to facilitate innovative services that will amaze and inspire customers beyond their expectations.

Astar Network is a multi-chain decentralized application layer on Polkadot. Astar Network supports the building of dApps with EVM and WASM smart contracts and offers developers true interoperability, with cross-consensus messaging (XCM). We are made by developers and for developers. Astar’s unique Build2Earn model empowers developers to get paid through a dApp staking mechanism for the code they write and dApps they build.

Astar’s vibrant ecosystem has become Polkadot’s leading Parachain globally, supported by all major exchanges and Tier 1 VCs. Astar offers the flexibility of all Ethereum and WASM toolings for developers to start building their dApps. To accelerate growth on Polkadot and Kusama Networks, Astar Space Labs offers an Incubation Hub for top TVL dApps.