Sony’s Soneium could set the blockchain pace — is BlackRock preparing to follow?

How will Sony’s Soneium stack up against existing blockchain giants, especially if BlackRock makes its anticipated move into the market?

Sony has long been synonymous with innovation, and now it’s making a bold entry into the blockchain world with its latest initiative: Soneium.

On Aug. 23, Sony Block Solutions Labs — a collaboration between Sony Group and Singapore-based Startale Labs — announced the launch of this new project. 

Just a few days later, on Aug. 28, Sony further introduced the “Minato” testnet for Soneium, along with an incubation program aimed at onboarding developers to the new platform.

Soneium will be built on Ethereum (ETH) and the OP Stack from Optimism (OP), a highly customizable toolkit that enables developers to create their own networks with ease. 

According to Jun Watanabe, Chairman of Sony Block Solutions Labs, Sony views blockchain as a way to enrich lives and elevate creativity to new heights. With Soneium, the company aims to unlock new business opportunities and use cases, offering value that’s unique to web3 technology.

It’s important to note that Sony’s journey into web3 didn’t begin with Soneium. The company has been steadily expanding its footprint in the crypto space, including the acquisition of the Japanese crypto exchange WhaleFin — now rebranded as S.BLOX Co. — and Amber Japan, a digital asset trading services provider.

But what exactly is Soneium, how does it compare to its rivals, and what can we expect from this project in the future?

Understanding Soneium’s core purpose

As a public blockchain, Soneium operates on an open network, inviting participants from all walks of life to engage without limitations.

What makes Soneium stand out is its role as a layer-2 solution for Ethereum. This means it builds on Ethereum’s existing infrastructure, aiming to solve two of the biggest challenges in blockchain today: slow processing speeds and high transaction fees.

By handling data processing on its own layer, Soneium helps alleviate these issues, making the blockchain experience faster and more affordable.

One of the most exciting aspects of Soneium is its support for advanced smart contracts, which are crucial for creating decentralized applications, or dApps.

Developers will also have access to a suite of third-party tools designed to simplify the process of developing and launching apps on the Soneium network. This makes it a promising platform for innovation, offering endless possibilities for what can be built on the blockchain.

The recent launch of the Soneium testnet, known as Minato, marks a key step in this journey.

Minato is designed to mirror the conditions of the mainnet, providing a realistic environment for developers to test high-volume applications. This is essential for ensuring that when these apps go live, they perform smoothly under real-world conditions.

As claimed, Minato also plays a critical role in community building. Early access to the testnet allows developers and creators to gather valuable feedback, which is key to refining their projects.

Users, too, benefit from this early access as they get to experience and influence the future of these applications without risking their own assets. That’s because Minato uses a test version of crypto assets for in-app payments, creating a risk-free environment that encourages exploration and engagement with web3 technologies.

Supporting the Soneium Minato testnet is Astar Network, a blockchain platform known for its multi-chain capabilities. Astar is providing initial liquidity and a variety of fungible and non-fungible digital assets, helping to fuel the early stages of Soneium’s ecosystem.

In addition to Astar, a host of other prominent blockchain projects and companies will be early experimenters on the network, including Circle (the issuer of USDC), Optimism, Alchemy, The Graph (GRT), and Chainlink (LINK).

Soneium is also rolling out a builder-focused program called Soneium Spark, designed to attract visionary developers and creators, offering access to crucial infrastructure, mentorship, and industry partnerships.

Moreover, Sony is offering investments of up to $100,000 per team. Soneium Spark’s incubation period kicks off in mid-October and runs through the upcoming months.

Soneium’s battle for dominance

Soneium has already begun forging key collaborations that could give it an edge in the highly competitive layer-2 space.

One of the most notable partnerships is with Pyth Network, a decentralized data infrastructure known for providing real-time, high-fidelity price feeds. 

This collaboration means that all projects building on Soneium from the start will have access to Pyth’s reliable market data, a critical component for applications in decentralized finance, web3 games, NFT marketplaces, entertainment services, and more.

However, Soneium is entering a crowded and fiercely competitive layer-2 landscape, where it will face off against established players.

One of the most prominent rivals is Base, which recently hit a key milestone — 1 million daily active addresses. Base is known for its strong backing by Coinbase, one of the most recognized names in the crypto space. But Base isn’t the only competitor in the field.

Polygon (MATIC) is another key player, known for its scalability and low-cost transactions. Polygon has become a go-to layer-2 solution for many developers, especially those looking to build scalable dApps without sacrificing security.

Then there’s Stacks (STX), which brings smart contracts and dApps to Bitcoin (BTC), offering unique opportunities for developers who want to leverage Bitcoin’s security while building on a layer-2 network.

Mantle (MNT), another emerging layer-2 solution, focuses on modular design and ease of integration, making it attractive for developers seeking flexibility and efficiency.

Each of these layer-2 networks has its strengths, and Soneium will need to carve out its niche to stand out.

Traditional giants embracing blockchain

The layer-2 blockchain space, already competitive with players like Base, Polygon, and others, could soon become even more intense.

The latest buzz suggests that BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, might be gearing up to launch its own layer-2 blockchain network.

According to a report from Token Terminal, BlackRock is seriously considering this move as a natural extension of its growing involvement in the blockchain space, where it already manages a portfolio of blockchain-related products, including the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), and investments in Circle and Securitize, which oversees the on-chain money market fund BUIDL.

The only piece missing in BlackRock’s crypto puzzle is its own blockchain network—a move that seems increasingly likely.

If BlackRock does launch its own layer-2 blockchain, it would follow a similar path to what Coinbase has done with Base. This would allow BlackRock to streamline the recordkeeping of its $10 trillion in assets under management across different asset classes on a single, global, interoperable, and transparent ledger.

The potential benefits are immense: 24/7 operational capital markets, improved transparency and investor access, lower fees, and faster settlements. However, challenges like the cost of blockchain implementation and regulatory uncertainties remain significant hurdles.

Sony’s Soneium and BlackRock’s potential layer-2 blockchain might be targeting different segments — Sony with its focus on entertainment and gaming, and BlackRock with its financial products — but the underlying strategy is similar: leveraging blockchain to stay ahead in an increasingly digital world.

As the layer-2 space evolves, the entry of traditional companies like Sony and BlackRock could likely make the competition even more exciting and intense. Sony’s journey with Soneium is just beginning, and while the path is uncertain, the opportunities for growth and innovation are vast.