Sony has officially launched the mainnet for Soneium, its innovative layer-2 blockchain platform developed by Sony Block Solutions Labs, aimed at enhancing blockchain interactions and delivering a user-friendly Web3 experience.

Soneium Minato has seen the development of 32 projects from more than 1,700 submissions to the 'Soneium Spark' incubation program, alongside various independent applications.

The platform garnered significant interest during its four-month testing phase, with over 14 million wallets participating.

Strategic partnerships have been established with Sony Pictures, Sony Music, and Sony Music Publishing, leveraging NFTs to provide fans with exclusive content and foster deeper engagement.

The network is designed to protect creator rights and ensure fair value distribution between creators and consumers, promoting a supportive environment for intellectual property.

Unlike many brands that focus solely on NFTs, Sony is committed to building a comprehensive infrastructure that supports a broader creator economy.

Utilizing Optimism’s OP Stack, Soneium enables quick and low-cost transactions on Ethereum through optimistic rollup technology.

This launch reflects a growing interest among traditional tech companies in the blockchain sector, showcasing Sony's commitment to innovation.

In its first year, Soneium will focus on onboarding Web3 users, with plans to integrate Sony products, including offerings from Sony Bank, Sony Music, and Sony Pictures, within two years.

The S.BLOX crypto exchange, set to launch in February 2025, will exclusively serve the Japanese market and aims to support creators and brands in exploring new opportunities in Web3.

The mainnet launch coincides with a peak in Sony's market momentum, as the company's share price reached an all-time high at the end of 2024.

Ultimately, Soneium aims to establish a decentralized, user-centric ecosystem that facilitates entry into the Web3 space and plans to onboard additional enterprises and decentralized applications over the next three years.