The press releases on this website are provided for historical reference purposes only.
Please note that certain information may have changed since the date of release.
January 14, 2025
Aiming to provide new value and emotional experiences that creators and fans can enjoy.
The three blockchain-related companies under Sony Group have announced the launch of the blockchain mainnet"Soneium", along with an updated version of cryptoasset exchange services and NFT1 issuance platform. By providing comprehensive solutions from the blockchain —the foundational infrastructure of Web3— to the application layer, the companies will work to support creators in expanding their creativity and enhancing engagement with their fan communities.
While the Internet has long been an essential and highly convenient part of people's everyday lives, it has also led to the centralization of information and the economic landscape. At the same time, Web3 —which was explicitly built to tackle this concentration of power— is still too complex for users unfamiliar with blockchain and it still lacks major "killer apps."
As creators' activities diversify in the future, content on Web3 is expected to become more interactive, and the points of contact between fans and creators will be enhanced. Sony Group has been actively providing value to creators and their fans in a variety of businesses, and we aim to provide use cases that creators and fans can benefit from through comprehensive solutions in the new Internet era of Web3.
Sony Block Solutions Labs Pte. Ltd. announced the development of the public blockchain "Soneium" in August 2024 under the vision "Realize the Open Internet that Transcends Boundaries." The testnet "Soneium Minato" was released after that, providing a test environment accessible to everyone. Developers and creators are also able to test the network's specifications before moving to the production environment and releasing their apps on Soneium Minato. At the same time end users could access and use these apps from their web wallets. A large number of apps have already been developed on Soneium Minato, including 32 projects selected from over 1,700 applications for the "Soneium Spark" incubation program launched in September 2024. Additionally, numerous other applications have been developed by independent creators. Entertainment apps such as games, NFT, and social apps have been launched along with financial and other apps. The number of accounts exceeding 14M and transactions2 exceeding 47M have been verified.
Today, Soneium's production environment is officially open to the public. Since the network specifications closely match those of Soneium Minato, apps developed in its environment can also run seamlessly on Soneium. Soneium's production environment allows end users to make payments using real crypto assets within each app. In addition to allowing creators to generate revenue through in-app payments, users can continue to build fan communities to support and encourage creators through activities on their favorite apps.
Crypto assets are essential for payments within apps on Soneium. They are generally used in Web3 apps instead of legal tender and must be acquired through cryptoasset exchange services. Aiming to provide an all-in-one experience for trading crypto assets and using apps on Soneium, S.BLOX Corporation has launched "S. BLOX," a rebranded and redesigned version of "WhaleFin" platform. In addition to a new UI, the company also plans to introduce a new, user-friendly mobile app and expand the range of supported currencies in the future. To celebrate the renewal of the service, a campaign will be launched today offering BTC worth 3,000 yen as a reward for opening a new account and trading crypto assets. In addition, an NFT distribution campaign utilizing the Soneium network is set to launch in February, as a collaboration project with "Ghost in the Shell."
From February 2025, SNFT Inc. will release a new Fan Marketing Platform sequentially as one of the applications that will be compatible with Soneium. The platform will provide one-stop support for companies implementing NFT initiatives, from execution to analysis of NFT-based fan engagement metrics. Companies will be able to use this service to easily issue NFTs, creating new touchpoints and exciting user experiences to deepen fan engagement. Unlike many other Web3 platforms that require users to set up separate crypto wallets, the new service will provide an integrated web-based wallet with social login. This makes it simple for even for novice users to receive and manage NFTs.
Sony Group plans to conduct a demonstration experiment with its entertainment-related companies to provide new value to creators and fans through these Web3 services. There are plans to issue NFTs on the Soneium network through the Fan Marketing Platform, aiming to provide value to fans of each IP and expand engagement using Web3 technology. Each project is scheduled to begin sequentially from mid January to February 2025.
~ Access to limited channels of eligible works (in Japan)
The company is offering free access to exclusive content for those who purchase eligible titles on Prime Video. Customers will be able to enjoy the films they purchased as well as view and download digital collections and bonus videos on the exclusive channel.
～ NFT distribution to the music and Web3 community "Sunny B. 1991"
To celebrate the second anniversary of "Sunny B. 1991," a music and Web3 community operated and supported by the company, the company will distribute limited-edition NFTs only to community members as a demonstration experiment. The distribution will be based on the number of NFTs owned by members of the community. The community will also be involved in choosing the collection's design and name.
~ Use of NFT in fan creation for artists (in Japan)
With the aim of creating new customer contacts and fans for artists, the company plans to work on providing new value to customers through the use of Web3 technology. Prior to this, a campaign to distribute limited-edition NFTs is set to launch alongside a live event featuring the girl group "SANDAL TELEPHONE."
Sony Block Solutions Labs is a joint venture with Startale Group Pte. Ltd., a Sony Group company established for the purpose of building new network infrastructure using blockchain technology. We announced blockchain planning and development in September 2023, and changed our company name from Sony Network Communications Labs Pte. Ltd. in August 2024.
Acquired by Quetta Web Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation) in August 2023 to operate cryptoasset exchange services. The company was renamed from Amber Japan K.K. in July 2024.
The company operates digital collections utilizing blockchain and other cutting-edge technologies.
Soneium functions as a Layer 2 solution for Ethereum, building a network on top of the existing Ethereum Layer 1 and handling data processing, solving issues such as slow data processing speed and increased fees that occur in Layer 1. Additionally, by leveraging OP Stack developed by Optimism Foundation, we are building a scalable, EVM-compatible, and developer-friendly blockchain.
