Crypto likes to claim it’s banking the unbanked, but few have built for people without smartphones or internet.   is rolling out USSD wallets, tokenized carbon credits, and solar-powered ID-linked payments across parts of Africa, the Pacific, and South Asia. In this Q&A, CEO Philip Blazdell shares the on-the-ground reality of building inclusive infrastructure and why crypto’s future might lie far from the headlines. Fedrok Ukuhlobisa Ukuhlobisa 1. Crypto often praises financial inclusion as a goal but what does that actually look like on the ground? What have been the most surprising challenges or breakthroughs in designing infrastructure for people without smartphones or internet access? Crypto often champions financial inclusion as a transformative goal but translating that promise into practical, everyday value on the ground is far more complex than it appears. In regions without reliable internet, smartphones, or formal banking infrastructure, true inclusion means designing tools that work around those limitations. Our experience at   has involved developing blockchain infrastructure that’s compatible with SMS, USSD, and low-tech wallets, providing a solution for users in rural or off-grid environments who are digitally invisible to the mainstream financial system. Fedrok AG Enye yezimpendulo ezizodwa ezivamile etholakalayo etholakalayo ayikho ubuchwepheshe, kodwa zemvelo: ibhizinisi. Kwiindawo eziningi ezingenalutho, abantu akufanele amabhange, izivakashi, noma izinhlelo ezivamile ezivamile zebhizinisi, kodwa akufanele ama-co-operatives, ama-ancients, noma ama-confessional leaders. Lokhu kubalulekile ukuba ama-blockchain-based financial tools akufakwa kuphela. Abanikezelwe ngokuvamile nabasebenzi be-community futhi zihlukaniswe ku-trust networks eyenziwe. Sihlola ukufaneleka e-Uganda futhi e-Papua New Guinea ngokuvumelana nezinhlelo zokusebenza zendawo kanye nokuphathwa kwezinhlobonhlobo ze-human zihlanganisa esisodwa kw A second major challenge has been identity. Conventional KYC processes don’t work where birth certificates, national IDs, or addresses don’t exist. Here, decentralized identity systems, combining biometric data with community attestation, offer real promise. But even then, onboarding must be simple, local-language driven, and supported with training hubs or blockchain “ambassadors” who can educate others and troubleshoot in real time. Without this kind of support, even the best-designed Web3 tools can fail to gain traction. Still, there have been powerful breakthroughs. Tokenized incentive systems tied to environmental actions like mangrove planting, composting, or cleanups, have allowed us to reward people in transparent, meaningful ways. These tokens can be redeemed for essential goods, school fees, or reinvested in the local economy. When coupled with satellite verification or mobile-based MRV, this creates a transparent, auditable loop of action and reward. Financial inclusion doesn’t start with technology, it starts with relevance, access, and trust. Blockchain, when built with these in mind, can be a powerful tool for good. 2. Most Web3 products assume users have a certain level of digital literacy, connectivity, or capital. How do you design blockchain systems when none of those assumptions hold? Designing blockchain systems for communities without digital literacy, stable connectivity, or upfront capital requires flipping many Web3 assumptions. Most platforms today are built for high-speed, high-data environments expecting users to have smartphones, understand wallets, and manage private keys. But in places like Chad, Niger, or Papua New Guinea, the starting point is often a shared feature phone, no internet access, and limited exposure to formal finance. That means the user experience must be reimagined for offline-first, low-data, and sometimes even non-digital interactions. Ngokuvamile, i-UX iyahambisana nezinhlangano ezincinane nezinhlangano ezincinane nezinhlangano ezincinane, nezinhlangano zokufinyelela, nezinhlangano zemvelo. Sihlanganisa izinhlelo ezisebenza nge-SMS noma i-USSD, nge-icon-based noma i-voice-guided flows kunokuba ama-text-heavy apps. Ngaphandle kokufinyelela ukuxhuma okuqhubekayo, sinikeza izinhlelo ze-cache kanye nezinhlangano zokusebenza ezivumela ukudluliselwa kwezohwebo ngokushesha. Umphumela wokwenza i-blockchain engabonakali kubasebenzisi, bakwazi nje ukubonisa imiphumela: i-fertilizer voucher, i-school fee etholakalayo, noma i-token etholakalayo ek I-Agent Networks iyinhlanganisela kulesi model. Thina usebenza nge-actors ezivumile, ama-co-operatives, ama-chiefs ze-village, ne-extension workers, abasebenza njenge-onboarding guides ne-human interfaces. Lezi-agents zihlanganisa isilimi se-local, ukulawula i-identity ye-user, futhi asize ukulawula ama-wallet kanye ne-transactions. Le ndlela kuyinto enhle futhi enhle kakhulu, ikakhulukazi emahlathi lapho abantu abalandeli abantu ngaphezulu kunezinto. E-Papua New Guinea, sinikezela ukucubungula kwe-carbon-credit nge-blockchain nge-communities ze-tribal ngokuvimbela ubuchwepheshe ku-land governance izakhiwo I-Onboarding ayikwazi ukufinyelela okungaphansi kwe-click. Kubandakanya izivakashi zomphakathi, ama-radioshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshipshi 3. Many teams are content to build on Ethereum or Solana. Why did you feel it was necessary to build your own Layer 1 chain — and what tradeoffs or opportunities came with that choice? Most teams build on established chains because it’s faster and easier to launch. For us, that wasn’t enough. We weren’t just launching a token, we were building infrastructure for a high-integrity, auditable, and environmentally aligned carbon credit economy. That meant needing control over how consensus works, how transactions are validated, and how on-chain activity reflects real-world environmental outcomes. So we made the deliberate decision to build our own Layer 1 blockchain engineered specifically for ESG compliance, traceability, and decentralized environmental finance. I-Ethereum ne-chain efana ne-Ethereum ayenzelwe ukulayishwa kwezimpendulo ezingenalutho noma i-ESG logic. Izindleko ze-gas zihlukile. I-Finality ayikho ku-optimized ye-environmental data. Ama-consensus mechanisms zayo akufinyelela ukuvikelwa. Ngokwakha i-Layer 1 ye-Fedrok enhle nge-Proof of Green framework, sinokufaka i-environmental validators, i-satellite-linked verification triggers, kanye ne-MRV-linked credit issuance ngqo ku-core protocol ye-chain, akuyona njenge-afterthink noma i-other-party oracle. It also gives us long-term flexibility. Whether it’s GDPR compliance, asset reporting under ISO, or jurisdiction-specific integrations, having our own chain lets us move fast without waiting on another ecosystem’s roadmap or bottlenecks. It allows us to serve underrepresented regions, like small island states or landlocked African nations, with the specific tools they need for sovereign environmental asset management. Okwakheka, kuncike isikhathi futhi imali, futhi kuqukethe isibambo yokukhula kwebhizinisi. Kodwa umthamo yokwakha blockchain eyakhelwe okufakiwe kwezimo kanye nezimo zokulawula kubalulekile. I-Fedrok akufuna ukuba abe ikhebula elisha noma enhle kakhulu. Thina ukwakha infrastructure digital enhle futhi enhle ye-climate economy. Lokhu kuncike ngaphezulu kwe-smart contracts. It inikeza ukulawula ku-protocol layer. 4. In places where people struggle with intermittent power or fuel, you’ve experimented with enabling blockchain-based payments for solar access and utilities. What have you learned from those pilots? I-Access to energy in these regions isn't just about utilities, it's a financial and social challenge. Ngakho-ke sinikeza i-blockchain-based micropayments for solar e-off-grid areas of Chad and Niger. Lezi zindlela zithumela abasebenzisi ukulayisha i-pre-pay for solar energy usebenzisa i-credits eyenziwe ngama-tokenized, nge-usebenzisa eyenziwe ngexesha elilodwa nge-IoT-linked smart meters. Umthamo hhayi i-decentralization kuphela ngenxa yayo. It was to create a system that is transparent, tamper-proof, and operable without traditional banking or grid infrastructure. One of the biggest insights from these pilots is how behavioral patterns shift when people are given flexible, trust-based access to energy. Users in constrained environments don’t consume energy the same way as urban populations. They top up when they can, often in small amounts, and tend to prioritize high-ROI uses like lighting for night work, refrigeration for food safety, or charging school tablets. By enabling pay-as-you-go on-chain, even via USSD or agents, we bypass exploitative middlemen and unreliable systems. Blockchain doesn’t just automate, it makes every watt traceable. Every payment, every subsidy, every meter is logged. We’ve also seen how this model supports community-level energy planning: when data is shared openly, villages can collectively decide how to scale storage, where to invest in additional panels, or how to rotate usage. Most importantly, these pilots remind us: blockchain only matters when it meets a real need. In this case, it’s about making clean energy fair, reliable, and trusted. 5. You’ve talked about “Proof of Green” as a consensus layer. What does that mean in practice? How does it actually validate blockchain activity? Is it greenwashing-proof — or is there still a trust layer involved? "I-Proof of Green" iyisisombululo ye-Fedrok emkhakheni esisodwa se-climate-tech blockchain: Indlela yokwenza ukuvikelwa kokusebenzisa kuphela isibonelo, kodwa umsebenzi esisodwa se-chain ngokwemvelo? Ngaphandle kwe-blockchains ezivamile lapho ukuvalwa ikhiqizwa kuphela yi-computational power noma i-share ownership, I-Proof of Green ibonise imiphumela yemvelo ngokuqondile ku-consensus mechanism. Ngokuvamile, lokhu inikeza ukuthi ama-block rewards zithunyelwe ngokusekelwe kuphela ukhuseleko kwenethiwekhi, kodwa ku-contributors ezivamile kwama-environmental goals, njenge-use ye-energy epholile noma i-real-world carbon sequestration. We use a dual-layer validation model. First, miners or validators must meet technical criteria to participate in the network. Second, they earn preferential rewards based on their verified green credentials. That might include proof that their mining rig is solar-powered, that they’re operating in an energy-positive zone, or that they’ve sponsored a mangrove planting project tokenized and recorded on-chain. These credentials are tied to verifiable environmental data such as satellite imagery, IoT sensors, or third-party registry verification, which are cryptographically linked to their validator identity. It’s designed to be greenwashing-resistant. We don’t accept vague claims or self-reported data. Every green input must pass through a chain of digital custody satellite validation, timestamped sensor feeds, and community verification reports before it impacts consensus or reward weight. This audit trail is baked into the protocol and subject to regular, decentralized scrutiny by both on-chain mechanisms and third-party ESG auditors. Abuse isn’t just discouraged it becomes economically irrational. Yebo, kunazo zonke izigaba zokuhambisana nezinhlelo zomthetho kanye nezinhlelo zomthetho. Kodwa ku-Fedrok, I-Proof of Green ayikho i-label yokuthengisa, kuyinto i-protocol logic. I-Proof of Green inikeza abantu abalandeli, kanjani ama-blocks zihlanganisa izinzuzo, no-incentive e-system ukwandisa. I-Proof of Green inikeza ukhuseleko se-network ne-climate action. Kuyinto uhlobo lokuguqulwa kwesakhiwo esithathwa ukuba i-Web3 iyahambisana ukulawula, futhi akuyona kuphela, isixazululo se-climate crisis. 6. The T4G project in Papua New Guinea links stablecoins, ID-linked landowner payments, and tokenized mangrove carbon — and you’ve mentioned several governments are now reaching out about similar models. Is this a local experiment, or the beginning of a replicable “blue economy” infrastructure layer? The T4G project in Papua New Guinea started as a targeted pilot, but it's quickly becoming a blueprint for what scalable, inclusive blue economy infrastructure can look like. It links ID-verified landowners to blockchain-based carbon credit issuance, using stablecoin payments to ensure direct, traceable compensation for verified mangrove restoration. That combination of environmental transparency, financial inclusion, and sovereignty over natural assets has resonated with other governments facing similar challenges: how to monetize their coastal ecosystems without losing control or trust. What makes it scalable is its modularity. From West Africa to Southeast Asia, countries are looking for integrated MRV-finance-governance systems. Because Fedrok’s Layer 1 blockchain includes environmental data validation at the protocol level, and supports off-chain agent networks and local language interfaces, we can adapt the system to each country’s specific legal, ecological, and community context without reinventing the wheel. That’s critical when scaling across vastly different geographies and governance structures. From the PNG rollout, one of the most important lessons has been the central role of trust and legitimacy. Land ownership in PNG is communal and often undocumented, so we had to build a parallel system for digital identity, community verification, and dispute resolution before we could even begin issuing carbon tokens. We also learned that digital payouts need to be as real and as usable as possible, which is why we integrated stablecoin disbursements that can be redeemed for goods, services, or fiat via local agents. The tech only worked because the human systems around it were thoughtfully built. So while T4G started as a local pilot, it’s no longer just a proof of concept. It’s the first functional layer of a broader, sovereign blue carbon infrastructure. We’re now in early talks with other coastal governments looking to implement similar models for biodiversity payments, marine resource management, and even disaster resilience finance. The beauty of the system isn’t just in the tech, it’s in how it respects community ownership, national sovereignty, and the urgent need for credible, climate-aligned finance. 7. What keeps you up at night — regulation, adoption, or expectations? As Fedrok scales, what are the biggest friction points you see ahead? What keeps me up isn’t just regulation or adoption, it’s aligning ambition with execution. Fedrok is trying to build something structurally different from Web3-as-usual. It’s a heavy mission to carry. But on the ground, that means juggling politics, policy, logistics, and trust. Regulatory uncertainty is certainly a big friction point. The rules for tokenized environmental assets are still evolving, and inconsistently. Njengoba inkampani yaseSwitzerland ukwakha isakhiwo se-global, sinikeza i-GDPR, i-SEC exposure, ne-frameworks e-Afrika, e-Asia, e-Pacific. Sinikeza ngokuvumelana emzimbeni kusukela ngosuku lokuqala. Kodwa ukubuyekeza umthetho ngenkathi ukugcina agile kuyinto efana nokuthintela isikhwama esebenzayo. I-slower, yes, kodwa i-resilient. We also face an expectation gap. On one side, you have communities and governments hoping for immediate impact, tangible results, payments, and recognition. But infrastructure, MRV, and onboarding take time. We’ve chosen integrity over hype, but it means growing responsibly while others race ahead. Yini kungase zihlukile? Ngokungafani phakathi kwezinhlelo. Phakathi nezimo ze-Web3 ne-offline. Phakathi ne-carbon credit theory ne-local land rights. Phakathi ne-codec clean ne-policy messy. Ngakho-ke sinikeza kakhulu ku-governance, ama-agent networks, kanye nama-partnerships ezivamile. Ukuze zihlukile ngaphandle kokuzitholela isisekelo, sinikeza injiniyela ekutholeni ngokugqithisileyo njengama-engineer code. 8. We all know the industry loves jargon. If you could retire one crypto buzzword forever, what would it be — and why? 
 
 "Impact token." “Impact Token” It’s a vague, feel-good phrase, and often meaningless. As an engineer, I don’t deal in hype I deal in systems, proof, and accountability. If I can’t measure it, it doesn’t exist. And too often, “impact tokens” are just marketing wrappers for unverifiable claims, with no serious link to real-world data or consequences. I’m not here to play crypto games. I’m not a crypto bro, I’m a systems engineer building infrastructure where outcomes are verifiable, traceable, and auditable. Whether it’s tokenized carbon, clean energy rewards, or land-based payments, we build in measurement at the protocol level. If we say "impact," it’s tied to satellite data, sensor feeds, or third-party audits. Izingoma ezizayo zihlukile ukusebenzisana kwezimfuneko zayo: ukwakhiwa kwezibopho, ukuhlinzeka ikhono, nokuphendula izimo ezinzima emkhakheni. Uma umphumela wakho akufanele ukufinyelela kokuphendula noma umlilo we-sunlight, kuyinto nje ukubuyekeza imibuzo. Let’s stop selling metaphors. Let’s deliver metrics. 
 
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