Sony Chain Ecosystem Overview: 60+ Early Projects and Potential Opportunities

Sony has just established a blockchain department and launched the Ethereum Layer-2 network Soneium, aimed at providing an open internet platform for creators.

Quick Understanding of Soneium

Soneium is an Ethereum Layer-2 jointly founded by Sony and Startale Labs. Startale is known for building Astar Network.

Soneium is a universal blockchain platform aimed at creators and developers, supported technically by Startale, leveraging Sony's global influence for expansion.

Soneium is built on OP Stack and integrated with the Optimism Superchain.

Going mainstream is the mission of Soneium, and the official has repeatedly emphasized "Go Mainstream."

Soneium and Astar Network

Astar Network is migrating its Astar zkEVM to Soneium L2. This allows Astar to leverage Sony's expertise in entertainment, gaming, and finance to integrate Web3 technology into real-world applications.

Brand rebranding helps the Astar ecosystem develop, enhances interoperability, and increases the value of $ASTR through higher validator income, a broader user base, and greater utility.

$ASTR will support the Soneium ecosystem, but the Gas token remains $ETH. Soneium has no plans to launch a native token in the near future.

Soneium Minato Testnet and Spark Incubation Program

The Soneium Minato testnet was launched on August 28th as an environment for developers and creators to build and experiment with dApps.

Users can bridge ETH test coins from the Sepolia test network to Minato through the native cross-chain bridge.

Soneium Spark provides each team with up to $100,000 in investment, as well as marketing, business, and technical support.

Overview of 60+ Ecosystem Projects

In just half a month, Soneium has had over 60 projects announce development or integration. We have categorized these projects into eight major categories:

1. SocialFi

• Yay!: Web2 social platform transitions to Web3, launching ETH staking activities
• Metadomo: Decentralized "Loyalty Points" Trading Platform
• Layer3: An innovative Web3 task platform, has launched the Soneium testnet tasks.

2. GameFi

• Heal3: Health-related GameFi, may migrate to Soneium
• Derby Race: Horse Racing Prediction Game, under development
• Metapro: GameFi development platform will support Soneium
• SuperVol: possibly gamified binary options/prediction market

3. RWA

• All Access: Fan Economy Platform
• OpenEden: On-chain US Treasury Agreement
• DeStore Network: Web3 e-commerce platform, will migrate to Soneium

4. DeFi

• Ionic: A multi-chain lending platform, soon to support Soneium
• L2X Pro: DEX will migrate to Soneium
• Very Long Swap: DEX has been launched on the Soneium test network.
• Algem: The LSD protocol will be migrated to Soneium
• waveX: Native perpetual DEX, under development
• UntitledBank: Native Decentralized Lending Platform
• Velodrome: Expressing support for Soneium
• Avalon Finance: Multi-chain lending platform, may support Soneium testnet
• C14: The decentralized lending platform will migrate to Soneium.
• Sake Finance: Native lending platform, possibly launching a test version in September.
• Neemo Finance: The LSD protocol will migrate to Soneium
• QuickSwap: implies support for the Soneium network
• Solv Protocol: announces that it is building on Soneium
• SynStation: Token staking protocol, has launched activities on the Ethereum mainnet.
• SoneFi: Native DeFi platform, test version has been launched

5. Infrastructure

• Alchemy: Provides APIs and developer tools
• Graph Protocol: Provides on-chain data
• Sentio: On-chain monitoring tool
• Thirdweb: Full-stack Web3 development platform
• Pyth Network: Real-time price data oracle
• Sequence: Full-Stack Web3 Developer Platform

6. NFT

• Bluez: The NFT market will migrate to Soneium
• Sonova: The NFT market will migrate to Soneium.
• NFTs2Me: NFT deployment platform, has supported Soneium testnet.

7. Agreement

Astar zkEVM as the foundation, a rising star project in the Optimism ecosystem, Circle will support USDC.

8. Cross-Chain Bridge

• Chainlink: as the Genesis partner integration
• Layerswap: Integrated Soneium testnet
• Superbridge: will support cross-chain assets after going live on the mainnet.
• Owlto Finance: Supported Soneium testnet cross-chain
• Orbiter Finance: Soneium support has been added to the testnet.

Summary

1. Soneium is an Ethereum Layer-2 developed by Sony, aimed at providing an open internet for creators.

2. Sony's global influence may generate significant interest among Web2 users in Soneium.

3. It remains to be seen how much user attention Soneium can garner among the many L2 solutions.