Startale Group has received another $13 million from the Sony Innovation Fund. This shows Sony's long-term support for the blockchain infrastructure company and its work on developing on-chain entertainment systems. The follow-on investment was announced on Jan. 29 and represents the first investment of Startale’s Series A, per a release from Startale.
The latest funding deepens a partnership that began in September 2023, when Sony Network Communications joined Startale’s seed round as a strategic investor. That initial round raised $3.5 million, followed by a $3.5 million seed extension in 2024 from UOB Venture Management and Samsung Next. With the new capital, Startale’s total disclosed funding has reached $20 million.
Startale operates as the core technical architect behind Soneium, an Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain co-developed with Sony Block Solutions Labs, a joint venture tied to Sony Group. The company was founded as a spin-off from the Astar Foundation and is led by CEO Sota Watanabe, who also founded Astar Network.
Soneium growth since mainnet launch
Since its mainnet launch in January 2025, Soneium has processed more than 500 million transactions and supports over 250 live decentralized applications, according to company disclosures. The network reports 5.4 million active wallets, placing it among the more active Layer 2 networks by usage metrics.
Soneium runs on Optimism’s OP Stack and targets entertainment-focused use cases alongside general-purpose blockchain activity. The network supports applications tied to IP management, digital content distribution, and payments, with a broader goal of serving as a foundation for consumer-facing blockchain services.
Several established protocols and companies have already integrated with Soneium. Uniswap added support for the network in May, while Aave followed with a successful integration in the subsequent month. Plume, an infrastructure provider focused on real-world asset finance, partnered with Soneium to stream tokenized yields through its SkyLink interoperability engine. Messaging platform LINE also tapped the network for NFT-based mini-app deployments.
Product stack and ecosystem tools
Beyond the base network, Startale has developed a suite of consumer and infrastructure products tied to Soneium. The Startale App, described by the company as a super-app gateway, aims to serve as the primary access point to the ecosystem. The app remains in beta testing, with no confirmed public release date.
Startale has also launched Startale USD (USDSC), a stablecoin designed to function as a unified settlement layer across applications on Soneium. The company positions USDSC as a tool that connects users, developers, and payment flows within the network.
These components form part of Startale’s vertically integrated approach, which combines blockchain infrastructure, consumer applications, and payment systems under a single operational framework.
Strategic alignment with Sony’s Web3 ambitions
Sony’s continued backing reflects a broader strategy to position the group as an infrastructure provider in the Web3 sector. Through Sony Block Solutions Labs, the company has focused on blockchain systems that integrate with existing entertainment and financial services.
In a statement accompanying the announcement, Startale Group CEO Sota Watanabe said,
“Startale has been an important partner to Sony since the early days of Soneium. Our vision is to bring the world on-chain, and Sony’s continued support strengthens our ability to deliver the infrastructure required to realize that vision at global scale.”
Kazuhito Hadano, CEO of Sony Ventures Corporation, echoed that view, stating,
“Startale is a company working across the blockchain space, from infrastructure to applications. With a global perspective, the team is focused on enabling new value flows built on on-chain technologies. Through our ongoing collaboration around Soneium, we look forward to continuing to support Startale’s challenges and ambitions going forward.”
Sony’s interest in digital assets extends beyond equity investments. Sony Bank, a subsidiary of Sony Financial Group, has announced plans to issue a U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin for American customers as early as fiscal 2026, subject to regulatory approval. Separately, Sony Singapore has begun accepting USDC payments through a partnership with Crypto.com, according to prior disclosures.
Position within the broader tokenization trend
The additional investment arrives amid increasing activity around tokenized assets and blockchain-based financial infrastructure. Traditional financial institutions continue to explore on-chain systems for payments, settlement, and asset issuance, often through controlled or enterprise-focused deployments.
Startale’s role as both a network developer and application provider places it at the intersection of these trends, particularly within Asia’s entertainment and consumer technology markets. While Soneium targets entertainment use cases, its architecture also supports stablecoins and decentralized finance protocols, which broadens its appeal beyond media-focused applications.
As the partnership with Sony progresses, the focus remains on execution, ecosystem development, and regulatory alignment rather than rapid expansion. The follow-on investment signals confidence in that measured approach and positions Startale for its next phase of growth.
Anastasiia G
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