Seems like the international postal union bought into crypto and has been pushing its members for it, most other EU states have them and anpost was relatively late - no reason they couldn't have just said no though www.upu.int/en/news/2023...

UPU defines the new generation of digital stamps

In a significant move towards embracing digitalization in the philatelic ecosystem, the  Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) technical and operational body – the Postal Operations Council ...

Disgraceful stuff.