SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ: LAES) said the European Patent Office has granted a divisional patent covering the core claims of its "Back-to-Physical" NFT technology, which is designed to embed Non-Fungible Tokens directly into semiconductor chips.

According to a statement from the Geneva-based company, the patented technology creates a hardware-rooted connection between digital assets and physical chips, allowing each semiconductor to carry a unique, cryptographically secured NFT linked to its manufacturing, certification, ownership, and operational history.

"These claims are particularly applicable to NFTs being provisioned into semiconductors and represent a significant milestone in our strategy to fuse digital and physical trust at the silicon level," said Jean Pierre Enguent, CTO of SEALSQ.

The company said the technology enables semiconductors to be independently verified without relying on centralized databases. Stated use cases include supply chain authentication, automotive component traceability, aerospace and defense electronics, medical device verification, and industrial IoT device identity management.

SEALSQ said the patent also supports the creation of Digital Product Passports, which the company noted are expected to become mandatory under emerging European regulations across several industries.

The company added that the technology is designed to be compatible with post-quantum cryptographic methods, positioning it to resist future quantum computing threats.

A corresponding USPTO application remains pending, and a further EPO divisional application is also under examination. The priority filing, CH 070467/2021, was originally filed on Oct. 29, 2021. The European counterpart, EP 4174706 A1, was published on May 3, 2023.