Sony Boosts Stake in Startale with $13 Million Follow‑On Investment After Soneium’s First Year Live
Tokyo, 29 January 2026 – Sony Group Corp. announced Thursday that its Sony Innovation Fund will inject an additional $13 million into Startale Group, the venture behind the Soneium Ethereum layer‑2 blockchain. The funding, described as the first close of Startale’s Series A round, marks a deepening of Sony’s involvement in the network a full year after Soneium’s mainnet launch in January 2025.
What the new capital means
The fresh capital is a follow‑on to Sony’s initial commitment made when Soneium was unveiled in August 2024. According to a Startale spokesperson, the decision was driven by the network’s post‑launch performance rather than speculation. Over the past twelve months, Soneium’s public block explorer records approximately 524 million transactions, outpacing comparable layer‑2 solutions such as Avalanche (442 million) and Algorand (383 million) over the same period. Moreover, the ecosystem has attracted about 5.4 million wallet addresses, suggesting a growing user base.
Sony’s statement emphasized that the additional investment does not alter its operational or governance role. The partnership framework, anchored by the Sony Block Solutions Labs collaboration, remains unchanged, reinforcing a long‑term, hands‑on approach to blockchain development.
Soneium’s first year: From testnet to live infrastructure
Soneium was introduced as an Ethereum‑compatible layer‑2 designed to serve entertainment, gaming, and consumer‑application developers. The project began with the Minato public testnet and the Soneium Spark developer incubator, which offered funding and technical support from Sony subsidiaries and external Web3 partners.
The mainnet went live in January 2025, bringing with it NFT‑based fan‑engagement tools tied to Sony’s media franchises. The launch was not without controversy; on 14 January 2025, the network temporarily restricted certain smart contracts amid allegations of intellectual‑property violations. Despite the setback, the network has remained operational and continued to attract developers.
In parallel, Startale launched its Startale USD (USDSC) stablecoin on the Soneium mainnet. Built on the M0 platform, USDSC is positioned as a native settlement layer for payments and decentralized applications across the Soneium ecosystem.
Strategic implications for Sony
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Verification of a strategic bet – Sony’s original investment was a test of whether a proprietary blockchain could support its entertainment‑centric use cases. The transaction volume and wallet growth provide tangible evidence that the network can handle real‑world demand.
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Diversification of crypto exposure – By increasing its stake, Sony spreads risk across its broader crypto initiatives, which include a planned stablecoin rollout for PlayStation payments slated for 2026.
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Strengthening developer relations – Continued funding signals to the developer community that Sony remains committed to nurturing the Soneium ecosystem, potentially attracting more gaming and media projects.
- Potential revenue streams – Higher transaction throughput and a live stablecoin create avenues for fee‑based income, data services, and cross‑border payments—areas where Sony has historically sought innovation.
Market context
While raw transaction counts are an important health indicator, they do not alone confirm economic activity or user adoption depth. Nonetheless, Soneium’s figures place it ahead of established layer‑2 chains like Avalanche and Algorand on a per‑year basis. The network’s 5.4 million wallets indicate a sizable community, though the proportion of active versus dormant addresses remains undisclosed.
Industry analysts note that Sony’s involvement is relatively unique among major consumer‑electronics firms, many of which have taken a more cautious or purely speculative stance toward blockchain. Sony’s model—combining capital infusion with a dedicated innovation lab—could serve as a template for other corporations seeking to embed blockchain technology into core product lines.
Key takeaways
- Sony’s follow‑on $13 M investment marks a reaffirmation of its commitment to the Soneium blockchain after its first year of live operation.
- Soneium processed ~524 M transactions in its first year, surpassing Avalanche and Algorand, and has amassed 5.4 M wallets.
- The Startale USD stablecoin is now live on Soneium, providing a native settlement layer for applications and payments.
- Sony’s approach blends strategic capital with hands‑on technical collaboration via Sony Block Solutions Labs, differentiating it from more passive crypto investors.
- The move positions Sony to potentially monetize blockchain activity, expand its developer ecosystem, and lay groundwork for forthcoming PlayStation stablecoin initiatives.
The information in this article is based on announcements from Sony Group Corp., Startale Group, and publicly available blockchain data. Readers are encouraged to verify details independently.
Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/sony-startale-follow-on-investment-soneium-mainnet?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound
