Sony Introduces Soneium Blockchain to Advance Web3 Adoption

On August 23, Sony, a global company in electronics and entertainment, announced that its new blockchain platform, Soneium, will soon launch its testnet. This development will allow developers to explore and build applications, setting the foundation for a future public release.

Introducing #Soneium by #Sony Block Solutions Labs building a public Ethereum layer 2 next-generation blockchain ecosystem designed to invoke emotion and empower creativity.

Soneium aims to connect Web3 with everyday internet services, making blockchain technology more… pic.twitter.com/I7zAIbB5Td

— Soneium 💿 (@soneium) August 23, 2024

Sony aims to position Soneium as a public network that makes Web3 technology more accessible to mainstream users. The company has criticized the current centralized nature of the internet, where few entities control most information and economic power. 

Onboarding Newcomers to Web3

According to the announcement, Sony aims to promote decentralization through Soneium while tackling two major challenges in the Web3 space: limited adoption and a shortage of practical use cases.

Sota Watanabe, CEO of Startale, a cloud service company working with Sony on blockchain projects, mentioned that the company will focus on creating use cases to attract newcomers to Web3 services. He noted that the technology and community are not yet ready for widespread adoption.

Sony has expressed intentions to integrate Soneium across its various business sectors, aiming to offer a range of decentralized applications and services for both new and existing Web3 users. The company also intends to open Soneium to other enterprises and decentralized applications. Sony believes that this blockchain infrastructure will enhance content rights protection and introduce new profit-sharing models for creators.

Sony and Japan Advance Web3

Notably, the next evolution of the internet, known as Web3, emphasizes decentralization and user empowerment but also faces challenges such as scalability and interoperability. One of Sony’s goals for the Soneium project is to achieve “internet-level scalability,” which would make the technology more accessible to everyday users. 

Earlier this year, Sony collaborated with Siemens to develop industrial applications for the metaverse, resulting in a mixed reality headset designed specifically for Web3 designers and engineers. In addition, Sony recently acquired the Japanese crypto exchange, Amber, now rebranded as S.BLOX, which operates the WhaleFin exchange under the leadership of Startale CEO Watanabe.

Meanwhile, Japan, Sony’s home country, has been actively supporting its Web3 community. The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry is working to boost strategic investments in Web3 startups by enabling limited partnership firms to acquire and hold crypto assets.