Japan’s Soneium Grows Fast With Sony and SBI in Layer-2 Expansion

TLDR

• Soneium has processed over 295 million transactions as of September 2025.
• The platform supports over 4.8 million unique wallet addresses.
• Sony and SBI Holdings are key partners in the Soneium Layer-2 project.
• Soneium uses ETH for gas and focuses on sequencer-based revenue models.

Japan is making a strong push in blockchain infrastructure as Sony, SBI Holdings, and Startale Group back Soneium, a new Ethereum Layer-2 chain. Designed as a compliance-first platform with a focus on entertainment and finance, Soneium is positioning itself to compete globally. The project has already launched its mainnet, processed millions of transactions, and aims to lead enterprise-grade blockchain adoption rooted in Japan’s regulatory clarity.

Building Global-Scale Infrastructure Rooted in Japan

Soneium is being developed by Startale Labs, with support from Sony and SBI Holdings. CEO Sota Watanabe said the goal is to create blockchain systems that large companies can trust and use at scale. He noted, “We believe that the next iteration of the internet will be built on blockchains… We aimed to show Japan can develop world-class blockchain infrastructure.”

The platform uses Ethereum Layer-2 technology and focuses on real enterprise use. According to data from OKLink, Soneium had processed over 295 million transactions by September 2025 and had more than 4.8 million wallet addresses. It also recorded over 350,000 account-abstraction operations, showing usage beyond speculation.

Compliance and Enterprise-Grade Focus

Startale designed Soneium to meet strict regulatory and security standards. This includes a centralized sequencer and fraud-proof system for now, with a long-term plan to decentralize. The setup allows better control and compliance in early stages, especially for regulated financial products.

Japan’s Financial Services Agency has implemented laws like the Payment Services Act and Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA). These frameworks provide clear rules for tokenized assets, which Soneium uses to attract regulated financial entities. SBI Holdings is working with Startale on tokenized capital markets through a joint venture.

Watanabe said the project will follow frameworks not just in Japan, but also in Europe and the United States. “Our job is to ensure our infrastructure meets not only Japan’s standards but also MiCA, SEC guidance, and other global rules,” he said.

Scaling Through Entertainment and Distribution Channels

Sony’s role offers Soneium access to entertainment-driven adoption. Startale is building tools for music, film, and gaming tokenization. These include wallets, account abstraction, and compliance software to make user experiences simple and gasless.

Startale’s strategy also targets broader distribution beyond crypto-native users. Watanabe said, “The number of companies moving on-chain in 2025 makes this clear. Startale and Astar have worked on this since 2023. We are good at securing distribution channels, and that becomes a moat.”

He also shared an example with the Yoake concert app, where fans voted on-chain without knowing it. This shows how blockchain functions can be embedded into user experiences without technical complexity.

Token Economics and Market Positioning

Soneium currently uses ETH as gas, with no native token yet. Watanabe noted that sustainable revenue will come from sequencer fees and partnerships. He said token incentives are not long-term solutions and the project will instead reinvest revenues into ecosystem growth.

While the chain shows activity, its Total Value Locked (TVL) remains lower than leaders like Arbitrum or Base. Data from DeFiLlama confirms a reliance on bridged assets. However, the team believes that its focus on real user engagement and enterprise use cases will provide more stable growth.

Soneium is also planning to work with regulated stablecoins and improve UX through account abstraction. This means users can interact with Web3 apps through simple logins and without handling gas fees directly.

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