KaraT Pool [KARAT]- The Cryptonomist

This week’s guest on the Cardano SPO Column is a stake pool operated by Toshi from Japan who lives in Bangkok, Thailand and aims to donate 25% of the stake pool’s revenue to an orphanage in Thailand: KaraT Pool [KARAT].

The previous guest was a stake pool whose mission is to help dog shelters find loving homes for stray dogs.

This initiative is a point of reference for everything Cardano and every week or two we will invite a Stake Pool Operator (SPO) to answer some questions and give us an update directly from within the Cardano community.

Considering that many of our readers are new to the crypto space, we will have a mix of simple and technical questions.

Cardano SPO Column, interview with KaraT Pool [KARAT]

Hi, thanks for your time. Tell us something about yourself, where are you based?

My name is Toshi Karasaki and I own the KaraT Stake Pool (KARAT). I am Japanese and I live in Bangkok, Thailand. 

I have been travelling since 1990 and have been to many countries. I have been interested in crypto since 2016.

The KARAT pool was registered in November 2022. KARAT aims to support the decentralization of the Cardano ecosystem and at the same time donate approximately 25% of the stake pool’s revenue to an orphanage in Thailand in the future. 

Our block generation node is located in Singapore. Currently we have minted 1 block and maintain an average stake of 270,000 ADA.

What’s the path that led you to Cardano and to become a Stake Pool Operator (SPO)?

I have been purchasing and staking ADA ever since I came across this blockchain, but I thought that I could contribute more to Cardano, so I took on the challenge of setting up a new pool with the cooperation of Japanese SPOs in Bangkok.

We will contribute to the decentralization and security improvement of the Cardano network.

How are crypto and blockchain viewed in Japan? Is there a strong Japanese Cardano community?

Japanese startups are unfortunately lagging behind the rest of the world, not just in blockchain. Crypto and blockchain are not popular yet. Only a few % people are involved, but there is a big Cardano Community called SPO JAPAN GUILD.

What are you most looking forward to with Cardano? Are there any particular projects you’re keeping an eye on?

We look forward to further recognition of the Cardano ecosystem in the coming years.

We are a latecomer single pool, so we have our concerns about the future, but we would like to work on stable operations with the aim of becoming a pool that will serve as a bridge between communities in Japan and Asia.

I joined the Guild to contribute to the ultimate scalability blockchain because I was impressed by Cardano’s philosophy of providing wallets for 1 billion people. I recommend everyone to keep learning and be part of a great ecosystem!

The first goal is to achieve a delegation of 3 million ADA and aim for stable operation.  

Great contribution. Where can people stay in touch?

Currently, we are only on Twitter, but in the future we would like to have a website and YouTube channel.

Disclaimer: The opinions and views of the SPOs are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Cardano Foundation or IOG.