In summary
- Sony Group has unveiled Soneium, an Ethereum Layer 2 Blockchain developed in collaboration with Web3 infrastructure provider Startale.
- Developed by Sony Block Solutions Lab, a joint venture between Sony and Startale, Soneium will be launched in the coming weeks and will initially operate on a testnet in collaboration with Astar Network.
- The network will integrate Astar’s zkEVM assets and infrastructure with Soneium, providing initial liquidity and a variety of fungible and non-fungible digital assets.
Sony Group has finally unveiled Soneium, an Ethereum layer 2 blockchain developed in collaboration with Web3 infrastructure provider Startale.
Powered by a joint venture between Sony and Startale known as Sony Block Solutions Lab, Soneium marks the company’s first steps toward developing a blockchain from scratch.
The network, planned for launch in the coming weeks, will initially operate on a testnet in collaboration with Astar Network, a blockchain platform known for its multi-chain capabilities.
The collaboration will integrate Astar’s zkEVM assets and infrastructure with Soneium, providing initial liquidity and a variety of fungible and non-fungible digital assets, the companies said in a statement on Friday.
ZkEVM is a technology that improves privacy and efficiency by using zero-knowledge proofs, a cryptographic method that allows transactions to be verified without revealing all transaction details.
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Soneium has been in development since September 2023, following initial leads from Sota Watanabe, founder of the Astar Network and CEO of Startale, who previously positioned it as a project capable of surpassing Coinbase’s Base network.
“I deeply respect Base and its important contribution to this industry, and I believe our user category will not overlap,” Watanabe told Decrypt late on Thursday. “We are targeting a broader audience. Web3 is still at a very early stage and it is too small a market to compete.”
Specifically, blockchain aims to address key challenges such as scalability, security and decentralization, while remaining “user-friendly,” according to the statement. It also aims to offer practical applications in the entertainment, gaming and financial sectors.
The network’s technical infrastructure is expected to be based on the Superchain ecosystem platform using Optimism’s OP Stack technology. “We plan to join Superchain as well,” Watanabe confirmed to Decrypt. “We would like to collaborate with Base to push this industry forward through collaboration.”
The OP Stack is a type of modular software designed to improve Ethereum’s scalability by allowing multiple chains to operate in a coordinated manner, effectively increasing transaction throughput.
This foundation is expected to position Soneium as a significant contributor to Ethereum’s scaling efforts to eventually achieve internet-level scalability, the companies noted.
Sony BSL’s plans include leveraging its parent company’s distribution channels and existing user base to make Web3 technology more “accessible” to everyday consumers, the companies said. The project will explore applications for Soneium-compatible Web3 services, as well as new services tied to Sony’s various business sectors.
Web3 is a broad term referring to the next iteration of the Internet, where decentralized technologies, including blockchain, enable greater user control, data privacy, and peer-to-peer interactions, often without relying on centralized intermediaries.
“We believe that developing a comprehensive blockchain-based Web3 solution is very meaningful for the Sony Group, which has developed a wide variety of businesses,” Jun Watanabe, president of Sony Block Solutions Labs, told Decrypt.
Jun Watanabe added: “We will work to create diverse businesses and new use cases to deliver customer value that can only be enjoyed through Web3 technology to as many users as possible.”
This follows Sony’s acquisition of Japanese Cryptocurrency exchange WhaleFin last year, which now operates under the name S.BLOX Co. WhaleFin originated as Japanese exchange DeCurret, which was acquired in 2022 by the Japanese subsidiary of Singapore’s Amber Group.
Sony is expected to release technical documentation and developer tools in the coming weeks, providing the first hands-on experience with the Soneium blockchain.
The testnet will offer a full development environment that mirrors the conditions of the mainnet, with the aim of supporting high-volume applications and encouraging the adoption of blockchain technology, the companies said.
Edited by Andrew Hayward
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