Shardeum, the autoscaling Layer-1 blockchain, is witnessing strong traction from across the country’s leading innovation centers
FinTech BizNews Service
Mumbai, September 18, 2025: With India on track to become the world’s largest Web3 developer hub by 2028, Shardeum, the autoscaling Layer-1 blockchain, is witnessing strong traction from across the country’s leading innovation centers. Shardeum’s ‘Proof of Keys Airdrop’ program saw strong global adoption, with India leading all countries by contributing 17% of visitors to the registration portal, followed by Japan, Indonesia, and Germany. The program encourages users to hold SHM tokens (minimum of 100 SHM) in their own self-custodial wallets for 30 days in return for rewards, emphasizing Web3’s core values of decentralization and financial sovereignty.
While Shardeum’s mainnet currently supports token transfers, with smart contracts targeted for launch by year-end, the participants have collectively self-custodied over 1.5 million SHM in their wallets - underscoring the community’s strong confidence in the network.
Mumbai-Maharashtra: The Financial Anchor
The Mumbai-Maharashtra region is among the top contributors of global visitors, underscoring its role as a financial and cultural anchor for India’s Web3 growth. Within the region, Mumbai took the lead followed by Pune, Nagpur, Navi Mumbai, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and Solapur showing how adoption is spreading across Maharashtra’s urban and emerging centers.
Delhi-NCR: The Capital Hub
Delhi-NCR stands second when it comes to this contribution, registering among the highest visitors on the portal, making it one of the leading regions in India. The growing Web3 community here includes contributions from Delhi, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Noida, and Rohtak with strong involvement from young developers and student communities.
Bangalore-South India: The Tech Epicenter
Shardeum has also witnessed prominent traction from Bangalore, with India’s “Silicon Valley,” being one of the top contributors. The city’s thriving deep-tech and developer ecosystem continues to bolster nationwide blockchain adoption, attracting strong participation from both students and startups across southern India.
This is one of the first times a major Layer-1 blockchain has launched an airdrop directly tied to self-custody and financial sovereignty, aligning closely with decentralization’s foundational values.
Nischal Shetty, CoFounder, Shardeum said,"India is fast emerging as the global leader in Web3, and the response we’ve seen to the Proof of Keys initiative is a clear validation of that. From the capital region of Delhi-NCR to financial centers like Mumbai and tech hubs like Bangalore, the depth of participation shows that Web3 adoption in India is not limited to metros but is spreading across the country. At Shardeum, our mission is to build a blockchain that is scalable, accessible, and community-driven and India is at the heart of this vision."
By encouraging self-custody and long-term engagement, Shardeum is helping nurture responsible on-chain practices that align with Web3’s core values of decentralization and ownership. The traction seen in the program reflects a broader trend of adoption that cuts across India’s Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities. This layered participation reflects not only urban interest but also grassroots enthusiasm. Shardeum is building on this momentum by engaging students, developers, and startups across the country to drive real utility and value.
