Sony’s blockchain division has officially launched the Soneium mainnet.
The new network, built using OP Stack and Superchain tools from Optimism, is an L2 solution based on Ethereum. It is designed as a “general-purpose network” catering to financial and entertainment application ecosystems. The primary target audience includes content creators and their communities.
The network was developed by Sony BSL, a joint blockchain project between Sony Group and the Singapore-based Web3 company Startale Labs.
In August 2024, the team introduced the Soneium Minato testnet, created with technical support from Optimism Foundation, Circle, Alchemy, The Graph, and Chainlink. Simultaneously, the Soneium Spark developer incubation program was launched.
According to Sony, the Soneium Minato testnet recorded 17 million registered accounts, over 47 million transactions, and around 1,700 applications during its testing period. Developers noted that applications created in the testnet are fully compatible with the mainnet by default.
Alongside the Soneium launch, Sony BSL rolled out an updated version of the cryptocurrency exchange S.BLOX, a rebranded and enhanced iteration of the WhaleFin trading platform, which Sony Group acquired in August 2023.
As part of a promotional campaign, new account registrants are offered a reward of 3,000 yen ($19 or 0.0002 BTC). Additionally, in February, NFTs dedicated to the iconic Ghost in the Shell franchise will be distributed.
In the same month, SNFT Inc is set to launch the Fan Marketing Platform, an NFT platform powered by the Soneium blockchain.
