Czech startup Vexl and Vexl Foundation, both part of the SatoshiLabs group, are launching their own digital mobile app marketplace called the Freedom Store. This new platform is designed for iOS users in the European Union who want greater control over their devices. The Freedom Store offers access to open-source applications, including Bitcoin wallets and e-cash tools. It also targets tech-savvy users seeking free, unrestricted access to apps. The mission of the Freedom Store is to continue the work of the Vexl Foundation in protecting financial and digital freedom.

‍

The Freedom Store was created in response to the growing centralization of power in the digital space. The project emphasizes user sovereignty and independence by providing practical tools that help individuals preserve their freedom in an increasingly controlled online environment.

‍

"We are launching the Freedom Store in collaboration with AltStore.io, a platform also used by companies like Epic Games. This allows users to install apps outside the official App Store, bypassing Apple’s censorship, tracking, and the risk of their favorite apps disappearing overnight. Our focus is primarily on open-source applications that support personal freedom and sovereignty in various ways - such as Bitcoin wallets, e-cash solutions, and applications for the Nostr protocol. For us, this is another important step toward greater digital freedom," says Lea Petrášová, CEO of Vexl and President of the Vexl Foundation.

‍

Enabling users to download apps from outside the App Store

‍

The development of this open digital marketplace aims to give people access to software that might otherwise be banned or restricted. The Vexl Foundation is also responding to a new regulatory opportunity in the European Union, which now permits alternative app distribution outside of the App Store. The Czech non-profit organization intends to seize this moment to promote freedom, privacy, and technological independence.

‍

"I’m proud that we’ve managed to turn years of frustration over the deeply imbalanced and unsolicited struggle with Apple into a productive solution - one that can also benefit other apps in our industry. The Freedom Store is a natural extension of the Vexl Foundation’s mission. While Vexl focuses on censorship-free, KYC-free peer-to-peer Bitcoin trading, the Freedom Store brings that philosophy to the realm of software distribution," adds Petrášová.

‍

---

https://freedomstore.io/

‍

About Vexl Foundation 

The Vexl Foundation was created in response to the increasing centralization and regulation of digital finance. Its mission is to strengthen individual financial freedom, support decentralized technologies, and educate the public about ways to protect privacy and autonomy in the digital economy. The foundation supports and funds open-source projects that address issues of privacy, autonomy, and financial rights. It was established by SatoshiLabs - the creators of the first hardware wallet, Trezor.

More about Vexl Foundation on https://www.vexl.foundation/

‍

‍

A New Era of Secure Elements Built on Transparency and Verifiable Trust.

‍

Tropic Square, a fabless semiconductor company that develops secure hardware through open architecture, today announced the official launch and general availability of its first-generation secure element, TROPIC01.

‍

TROPIC01 is the industry's first open-architecture hardware security element. The chip is auditable and designed to meet the increasing demand for transparency in hardware security. This tamper-proof solution offers a secure alternative to existing closed architecture chips, making it ideal for the security needs of IoT devices, crypto hardware wallets, digital identity devices, and hardware authenticators.

“TROPIC01 provides the disruption that traditional hardware security needs,” stated John Sirianni, CEO of Tropic Square. “It’s the industry's first auditable, open-source solution – transparency to this degree has been unheard of to date. With the evolving sophistication and frequency of cyber threats and increasing regulatory demands, transparency is no longer optional—it’s essential. TROPIC01 provides the semiconductor innovation that the market is demanding.”  

‍

Considering that cybercrime is reported to cost the world an estimated $13.82 trillion by 2028¹, there is an urgent need for robust security elements such as TROPIC01. Providing advanced security against side-channel, laser, and other advanced attacks, TROPIC01 has been developed with fully verifiable cryptographic implementations, granting enterprises and developers unprecedented control over their security infrastructure.

“We are excited to launch the industry's first truly open and auditable secure element chips,” said Jan Pleskac, CTO and Co-Founder of Tropic Square. “Existing closed-source secure elements don’t allow for auditing; hence engineers and security experts cannot confirm whether vulnerabilities or backdoors exist. TROPIC01, on the other hand, allows engineers to verify the security implementation for themselves, giving them confidence in what they are embedding into their devices.” 

‍

TROPIC01’s open architecture allows electronic manufacturers and designers to verify the security implementation and claims. This provides engineers more control of their design process without being restricted by NDAs or the limitations of traditional black box secure elements. 

“This chip is exactly what the security industry needs,” said Miro Sveltik, CEO of ContentWise, a Deep Tech design house currently prototyping with TROPIC01. “Security is critical for our customers. We cannot truly stand behind solutions we offer to the market unless we can verify its security implementation.” 

‍

TROPIC01 supports use cases such as secure boot, firmware updates, and key management– critical security features that enable product readiness for compliance with regulations such as the European Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). 

‍

‍Product Availability & Shipping

‍

TROPIC01 development kits and engineering samples have been available since early February 2025, and now the chip is available for wide-scale production orders.  Secure provisioning, customization, and shipping logistics are managed in partnership with EPS Global.  

Companies building secure devices such as blockchain-enabled hardware, DePIN solutions, and IoT devices (including industrial, medical, etc.) can order TROPIC01 samples to evaluate product feasibility.

‍

‍

Awards and Recognition – Embedded World Nuremberg 11-13 March 2025

‍

In recognition of its innovative approach to safety and security in embedded systems, TROPIC01 has been nominated for an Embedded Award in the Safety and Security category. The Embedded Awards honour outstanding innovations in the field of secure embedded technologies, highlighting products that set new standards in quality and functionality.

At the Embedded World 2025 event in Nuremberg, Germany, Tropic Square will offer live demonstrations of TROPIC01's capabilities and provide insights into its development process. Attendees are invited to visit the Tropic Square booth (5-373) to learn more about how TROPIC01 can enhance the security of embedded systems.

‍

Additional information about TROPIC01 can be found at:

https://www.tropicsquare.com/tropic01

‍

‍

‍

-
About Tropic Square

Tropic Square, a SatoshiLabs company, develops open-architecture secure elements for applications ranging from IoT and crypto wallets to any modern application that prioritizes security.

By placing transparency at the core of our design philosophy, we invite industry experts and members of the open-source community to test, validate, and strengthen our security implementation.

‍

For more information, visit www.tropicsquare.com  

For all media inquiries, contact pr@tropicsquare.com

‍

_{1 https://www.statista.com/chart/28878/expected-cost-of-cybercrime-until-2027/}

‍

Tropic Square is entering the next phase of its development, with co-founder Jan Pleskač returning to lead the company. Jan, who has served as CTO up until now, will shift his focus even more toward the company’s strategic growth and product vision. His deep expertise in technology and product development, along with his comprehensive understanding of the company and its mission, will ensure a smooth leadership transition and support continued growth.

‍

Jan takes over from John Sirianni, to whom sincere gratitude is extended for his valuable know-how and contributions to Tropic Square, particularly in finalizing the patent and launching the company’s first product, TROPIC01.

‍

“This year, we officially introduced our first product TROPIC01 at the Embedded World conference, where it achieved remarkable success. It even won the Embedded Award in the Safety and Security category for its innovative contribution to the industry, and we distributed over 300 developer kits. The feedback from the community has been incredible, confirming the excitement surrounding our new chip. We want to thank John for his dedication and hard work on TROPIC01, and we wish him great success in his next chapter," said Jan Pleskač, the CEO of Tropic Square.

‍

Tropic Square is ready for the next stage of growth, and the entire team, which is part of the SatoshiLabs technology group, is excited to embark on this new chapter.

‍

-

About Tropic Square

Tropic Square, a SatoshiLabs company, develops open-architecture secure elements for applications ranging from IoT and crypto wallets to any modern application that prioritizes security. 

By placing transparency at the core of our design philosophy, we invite industry experts and members of the open-source community to test, validate, and strengthen our security implementation. 

‍

For more information, visit www.tropicsquare.com

For all media inquiries, contact pr@tropicsquare.com 

‍

Tropic Square proudly announces that its flagship product, TROPIC01, has been honored with two awards at this year’s Embedded World Exhibition & Conference held in Nuremberg, Germany from March 11 to 13. The team received the prestigious Embedded Award 2025 for Safety and Security, as well as the Best in Show Award.

‍

‍

‍

The Embedded Award recognizes outstanding innovations in secure embedded system technologies, highlighting products that set new standards in quality and functionality while enhancing safety and security in an increasingly connected world. TROPIC01 stood out among the nominations for its auditable open architecture design that delivers unprecedented transparency and open verification of security features. Tropic Square also received the Best in Show award for the innovation that TROPIC01 brings to the market.

"Receiving these awards is a testament to our commitment to redefining hardware security," said Jan Pleskac CEO & Co-founder of Tropic Square. “TROPIC01 addresses the critical need for transparent and verifiable security solutions in today's digital landscape. This recognition reinforces our mission to set new standards in the industry."

‍

Designed to be tamper-resistant against advanced physical attacks, TROPIC01 is the industry’s first auditable open architecture secure element. The product addresses the concern of secure hardware having backdoors or hidden flaws by providing transparent access to the design and documentation for anyone to independently conduct security reviews, audits, and testing.  

For more information about TROPIC01 and Tropic Square's commitment to open-source hardware security, visit https://www.tropicsquare.com/tropic01.

‍

-

About Tropic Square

Tropic Square, a SatoshiLabs company, develops open-architecture secure elements for applications ranging from IoT and crypto wallets to any modern application that prioritizes security. 

By placing transparency at the core of our design philosophy, we invite industry experts and members of the open-source community to test, validate, and strengthen our security implementation. 

‍

For more information, visit www.tropicsquare.com

For all media inquiries, contact pr@tropicsquare.com 

‍