Korean Telecommunications Firms Ramp Up ESG Efforts with NFTs

Infinite Block Receives Certification for Information Security Management System of Blockchain PlatformSouth Korean blockchain fintech company Infinite Block announced on Monday that it has obtained ISO 27001 certification for the information security management system of its upcoming blockchain platform from Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA), a UK-based global assurance provider.Ramping up information securityISO 27001 is an international standard established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for managing information security. It enables companies and organizations to establish a system that manages information security, cybersecurity, and privacy protection, thereby proving to their customers and partners that they protect important and personal data.Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashThis latest development comes after the company recently received approval from the Korean Financial Services Commission to function as a virtual asset service provider (VASP), becoming the 37th entity to do so in Korea.“Although we are still a fledgling startup, we have made consistent efforts to establish an information security management system since our inception,” said Jeong Gu-tae, CEO of Infinite Block. “This certification is a testament to our dedication.”Comprehensive blockchain platformInfinite Block is currently developing a blockchain platform set to be launched soon that offers integrated support for virtual asset custody services, including transferring, storing, and managing virtual assets. It also supports various blockchain mainnets and tokens, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Klaytn, Tezos, Polygon, and Avalanche.“We will continue to enhance and improve our information security system to further solidify user trust,” CEO Jeong added.

Superscrypt Backs Airstack’s Web3 Developer PlatformSingapore-based Superscrypt, an early stage blockchain investment company founded by state-owned global investment conglomerate Temasek, has led an investment round into Web3 developer platform, Airstack.Photo by Giorgio Trovato on UnsplashIndian influenceAirstack closed out the second tranche of its pre-seed funding round, having raised the largest portion of the $7 million raise via Superscrypt. Although based in Miami Beach, Florida, Airstack has a strong Indian influence. Three of its five founders, Deepesh Kumar, Vysakh Nair and Sarvesh Jain originate from the world’s most populous country.The firm’s main offering is to enable developers to be able to easily query on and off-chain data and integrate that same data into the Web3 apps that they are building. Airstack enables this functionality by featuring GraphQL, a query language for APIs and a runtime for fulfilling those queries with the user’s existing data, as a core component of its platform.Achieving greater functionality still, the start-up enhances that use of GraphQL by incorporating the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The company’s Miami Beach-based CEO and Co-Founder, Jason Goldberg, elaborated on the technology it is using in an interview with CoinDesk: “We did extensive interviews with developers over the past year, gaining insights into their previous tool usage and the challenges they faced. Airstack was built to directly address those pain points.”Recent platform launchThe product offering was launched last month and has already lured in over two hundred developers to use the platform. Those developers are harnessing the functionality of Airstack’s platform to assist them in their efforts to bring a broad range of dApps to market.Developer projects are grounded in areas such as marketing engines, decentralized finance (DeFi) portfolio optimizers, customer resource management tools, advertising platforms, and decentralized social media apps, together with messaging applications.With just a straightforward query and response approach, developers can use Airstack platform functionality to query, combine, and integrate on-chain or off-chain, cross-chain, and cross-application data. The offering applies to queries relative to the Ethereum and Polygon blockchain networks. The project intends to support additional blockchain networks going forward, while also intending to increase the level of query complexity made available to platform users.Joining Superscrypt on the Airstack cap table are Hashed Emergent, NGC, Primal Capital, UOB Ventures, Signum Capital, and others. Goldberg articulated the firm’s strategy going forward: “Our immediate focus is to onboard thousands of developers onto Airstack in the coming months. We aim to identify the areas where we add the most value and where genuine business use cases emerge before finalizing our pricing model.”Social app upgradeAt the same time as this funding announcement, Airstack also revealed a separate development related to its Jam social app. Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Goldberg provided details on an update to the app which utilizes Airstack functionality in order to create social groups based on NFT ownership and collector status. That functionality can be extended further, so that data can be gathered across projects, creating bespoke user profiles relative to the user’s blockchain activity and presence.At the same time as this funding announcement, Airstack also revealed a separate development related to its Jam social app. Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Goldberg provided details on an update to the app which utilizes Airstack functionality in order to create social groups based on NFT ownership and collector status. That functionality can be extended further, so that data can be gathered across projects, creating bespoke user profiles relative to the user’s blockchain activity and presence.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation on Sept. 7, citing completed trade talks with the United States and growing dissent within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). While the political transition follows the party’s defeat in July’s upper house elections, Ishiba’s departure also creates uncertainty for Japan’s crypto and Web3 agenda, which he had championed. Just two weeks earlier, at the WebX2025 event, Ishiba pledged stronger state backing for Web3 initiatives, noting their potential for addressing Japan’s demographic challenges and driving long-term economic transformation. He highlighted token-based community governance pilots, integration of Web3 at the Osaka Expo, and a five-year startup growth plan centered on digital industries. His exit now raises questions about whether these priorities will carry the same weight under new leadership.Photo by taro ohtani on UnsplashLeadership contest brings policy uncertaintyPotential successors signal diverging approaches. As per a BeInCrypto report, former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, who topped an August Nikkei approval survey with 23% support, is regarded as favoring tighter oversight. Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, in second place with 8%, has shown greater receptiveness toward digital assets. According to Bloomberg, Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato is also considered a contender. Earlier, he emphasized balancing investor protection with space for innovation, noting the rapid uptake of crypto among Japanese investors. The LDP is preparing for a leadership election on Oct. 4, with 295 lawmakers each casting one vote and an equal 295 votes allocated proportionally to the party’s 1.03 million members, for a total of 590 ballots. Until then, investors and industry players are watching for signals on whether Japan’s digital asset roadmap will remain a priority. Adoption advances beyond politicsBeyond politics, adoption is accelerating across Japan’s financial system. Japan Post Bank plans to tokenize deposits on a permissioned blockchain by 2026 using the DCJPY token developed by DeCurret DCP, a Mitsubishi UFJ–backed venture. With $1.29 trillion in deposits across 120 million accounts, the move could streamline settlement of tokenized securities. Corporate strategies are also shifting. Last month Tokyo-based game developer Gumi said it would acquire 2.5 billion yen ($17 million) worth of XRP between September 2025 and February 2026, following its earlier 1 billion yen ($6.8 million) Bitcoin purchase this year. The company described XRP as central to its expansion into international remittance and liquidity networks led by its largest shareholder, SBI Holdings. Japan’s crypto footprint abroad is growing as well. Coincheck, a leading exchange in Japan, is entering Europe through the acquisition of Aplo, a French-licensed digital asset brokerage. The deal follows Coincheck’s Nasdaq listing last year via its Netherlands-based holding company.