- Sony Launches Soneium Blockchain to Drive Mainstream Adoption of Web3
- Soneium is based on Optimism’s Superchain and focuses on scalability.
- The Soneium launch will be a three-phase plan: developer onboarding, Sony product integration, and enterprise expansion.
Sony has officially entered the blockchain space with the launch of its own network, Soneium, developed in partnership with Singapore-based Startale Labs.
The initiative, unveiled on August 23, marks a major step in Sony’s strategy to bring Web3 technology into the mainstream.
Introducing #sonenium By ~ #Sony Block Solutions Labs is building a next-generation blockchain ecosystem on public Ethereum Layer 2 designed to inspire emotion and empower creativity.
Soneium takes blockchain technology further by connecting Web3 to everyday Internet services… pic.twitter.com/I7zAIbB5Td
— Soneium 💿 (@soneium) August 23, 2024
Soneium Blockchain
Soneium is designed as a public Ethereum layer 2 network built on Optimism’s Superchain. It aims to overcome some of the most pressing challenges hindering blockchain adoption, such as scalability and efficiency.
Soneium’s infrastructure is supported by industry leaders including Circle, Chainlink, Alchemy, Astar Network, and The Graph.
The blockchain will initially target web3 developers and enthusiasts. According to Sota Watanabe, CEO of Startale Labs, the first year will focus on onboarding these core users. In the following years, Sony plans to integrate various of its own products, such as Sony Music, Sony Pictures, and Sony Bank, into the platform.
The company aims to open up Soneium to other enterprises and decentralized applications (dApps) by year 3, building a diverse ecosystem that encourages broader adoption.
Soneum Testnet
In connection with the launch of the Soneium blockchain, Sony has collaborated with Astar Network to launch the Soneium Testnet, which provides developers with a fully-functional framework and built-in tools to experiment and build applications before the public launch.
Astar’s zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine (zkEVM) will also be integrated with Soneium, improving performance with enhanced features such as liquidity provision and support for fungible and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Sony wants to achieve Internet-level scalability
Sony’s foray into blockchain is not unprecedented. The company previously acquired the Whalefin cryptocurrency exchange, which was later rebranded as S.BLOX.
In 2018, Sony began building a blockchain-based rights management system for digital content. In 2023, Sony Network Communications, a division of Sony Group, announced a strategic partnership with Astar Network to build a Web3 incubation program.
Sony’s ambitious Soneium plan demonstrates its belief in blockchain as a revolutionary technology that can decentralize the internet and empower its users.
Sony positions Soneium as a key player in the future of web3, with the goal of achieving “Internet-level scalability.”
Sony’s move shows the growing blockchain sector as major companies increasingly explore and invest in decentralized technologies.