The leading blockchain platform Astar Network has announced a deep integration with the Layer 2 blockchain Soneium (Sony Chain) developed by the newly launched Sony Blockchain Solution Labs, expanding into the Ethereum ecosystem.
This integration aligns with Sony Group's broad touchpoints in entertainment, gaming, and consumer electronics, while also expanding the utility of the ASTR asset within the Optimism Superchain ecosystem. As a special integration partner of Circle, Optimism, Alchemy, Chainlink, and The Graph, Astar has established an important bridge between the growing Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem and Polkadot's cross-chain capabilities.
A portion of the revenue from the Soneium network's sequencer will be reinvested into the growth of the Astar ecosystem.
The ASTR token will serve as a key asset to drive liquidity and engagement in the Soneium ecosystem, supporting DeFi protocols and creator-centric applications. It will also drive integrations with major consumer applications and payment solutions, enhancing its functionality within the Superchain ecosystem, providing access to leading Ethereum protocols, and enabling bridging between Astar L1 and Soneium through Astar's interoperability solution, Astar Portal.
"With the launch of the Soneium mainnet, we can see what can be achieved when people come together with a shared vision and clear objectives," said Sota Watanabe, Director of Sony Block Solutions Labs and Founder of Astar Network. "As part of the Startale Group, Astar has played a crucial role in driving innovation and connecting systems that need to work in harmony. We are building a platform where creators and innovators can thrive - this is just the beginning. I can't wait to see what unfolds next."
Soneium's focus on creativity and emotion aligns with Astar's vision of building a connected and thriving ecosystem where the flow of ideas, innovation, and value is unconstrained. Astar and Soneium are partnering to unlock new potential for creators, enabling them to better express themselves, while providing more meaningful ways for fans to engage. Through Soneium, creators will be able to protect their content rights, interact with fans, and share the rewards of their creativity - fundamentally changing the way the world connects.
"Astar's continued development in the Web3 space has reached an important milestone," said Maarten Henskens, Head of Astar Foundation. "At Astar, we fully support the mission and vision of Soneium. By connecting Astar with Soneium and the Optimism Superchain, we have built a solid foundation for developers to succeed, with the full backing of Astar. Now is the time to go all-in, focus on what matters, and make this shared vision a reality."
Users can now bridge liquidity to Soneium through the Astar Portal, participate in the Astar Surge pre-staking activities driven by key Soneium projects, or explore new DeFi and creative opportunities on the network, immediately starting to explore the expanded Astar ecosystem.
For more information on Astar's expansion and how to build on Soneium, please visit astar.network
About Astar Network
Astar Network is the gateway for Japanese and global enterprise, entertainment, and gaming projects, driving global adoption and bringing Web3 to billions. Leveraging Ethereum and Polkadot-driven cross-virtual machine technology, it provides customized blockchain solutions to accelerate Web3 adoption. With Ethereum L2 expansion (zkEVM) supported by zk technology, EVM, Wasm, and an advanced ecosystem, Astar provides powerful, secure, and interoperable Web3 technology. Astar's zkEVM is a novel Layer-2 solution that uses zero-knowledge technology to scale the Web3 experience on Ethereum.
For more information, visit Astar's:
About Soneium
Soneium is an Ethereum Layer 2 general-purpose blockchain platform developed by Sony Block Solutions Labs, aiming to evoke emotion, empower creativity, and realize an open, borderless internet. By transcending cultural differences and bringing together people of diverse values, Soneium redefines our interaction with the internet, creating a world of emotionally-driven innovative applications.
About Sony Block Solutions Labs
A joint venture between Sony Group and Startale Group Pte. Ltd. (the developer of Astar), dedicated to building new network infrastructure using blockchain technology. The company announced its blockchain planning and development in September 2023 and changed its name from Sony Network Communications Labs Pte. Ltd. to the current name in August 2024.
