SEALSQ Corp. announced that the European Patent Office (EPO) has granted a divisional patent covering the core 'Back-to-Physical' claims of its foundational NFT invention. The newly granted claims are specifically designed for provisioning Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) directly into semiconductors, creating a tamper-proof, hardware-rooted connection between digital assets and physical chips.

This breakthrough enables NFTs to be permanently and verifiably anchored to secure silicon, establishing an immutable chain of provenance, authenticity, ownership, and lifecycle management for semiconductor components deployed in critical infrastructure and high-value industries. While NFTs are traditionally associated with digital art and virtual assets, SEALSQ's patented innovation extends the concept into the physical world by enabling each semiconductor to carry a unique, cryptographically secured NFT linked to its manufacturing, certification, ownership, and operational history. This 'Back-to-Physical' capability transforms semiconductors into self-authenticating digital assets that can be independently verified anywhere in the world without relying on centralized databases.

The patent opens significant commercial opportunities across multiple industries: Semiconductor Supply Chain Authentication, Automotive Digital Identity and Compliance, Aerospace and Defense Systems, Medical Devices and Healthcare, Industrial IoT and Smart Infrastructure, Satellite and Space Infrastructure, and AI Agents and Machine Economies. The patented technology provides a powerful foundation for the creation of Digital Product Passports (DPPs), an area expected to become mandatory across numerous industries under emerging European regulations. Each semiconductor can effectively become its own digital passport, securely recording origin, manufacturing history, compliance certifications, ownership transfers, repair and maintenance records, and end-of-life recycling information.

Combined with SEALSQ's post-quantum cryptographic technologies and Root-of-Trust semiconductors, the patent establishes a framework for long-term digital-physical trust capable of resisting future quantum computing threats. By integrating NFT-based authentication, PKI infrastructure, secure hardware, and post-quantum cryptography, SEALSQ is creating a next-generation trust architecture for the emerging Machine Economy and the Internet of Trusted Things. In addition to the granted EPO divisional patent, a corresponding USPTO application remains pending, and a further EPO divisional application is also under examination.

SEALSQ will provide updates as additional patents are granted. Patent Portfolio Summary: CH (Priority) CH 070467/2021 Filed Priority filing for the NFT invention (Oct 29, 2021); US US 17/514, 296 ? US 2023/0139878 A1 Pending U.S. counterpart; EP EP 22200142.2 ?

EP 4174706 A1 Published European counterpart (May 3, 2023).