Startale Group secures another $13M from Sony Innovation Fund
Startale Group, a Japan-based Web3 solutions provider, has secured an additional $13 million investment from the Sony Innovation Fund, which is financed by Sony Group and focuses on backing venture companies.
In a press release, Startale said the new funding would deepen its ongoing collaboration with Sony, with a focus on Soneium—an Ethereum layer-2 blockchain built using Optimism’s Superchain technology. Soneium is positioned as the flagship project of Sony Block Solutions Labs, a joint venture between Startale and Sony Group.
Since launching in January 2025, Soneium has gained traction in the Web3 sector, according to figures cited by the company. Startale said the network has processed more than 500 million transactions over the past year, supports 5.4 million active wallets, and hosts over 250 decentralized applications.
The collaboration is intended to explore how blockchain technology could be applied to intellectual property management, creator monetization, and fan engagement, areas where Sony has an established global presence.
Startale launches stablecoin on Soneium
The ecosystem expanded further this month with the integration of Startale USD (USDSC), a stablecoin built on infrastructure provider M0 and backed by short-term U.S. Treasuries, according to Startale. The token is now live on Soneium, whose ecosystem includes partners such as Aave, Uniswap, and Chainlink.
Users can purchase USDSC through the Startale App, the company said, and use it for in-app trading, yield generation through deposits, and liquidity provision in the Startale USD pool on Uniswap in exchange for STAR Points.
Startale’s push comes as more established Japanese companies explore blockchain-based initiatives at home and abroad. Matsumoto, a Fukuoka-headquartered printing company founded in 1932, has outlined a long-term concept to create a digital asset treasury for students, under which student activities would be recorded on the Solana blockchain. The company has said the records would not be used for ranking or evaluation, but instead to encourage learning and support future career opportunities.
The company has also described a broader ecosystem in which business profits could be returned to children and their families through a portfolio of cryptocurrencies, positioning the concept as both an educational incentive and a potential source of financial support.
Nomura’s crypto arm seeks U.S. bank charter
Japanese firms are also seeking to expand their crypto operations overseas. Laser Digital, the crypto arm of Nomura, has applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a national trust bank charter, according to The Block.
If approved, the charter would allow the firm to operate nationwide without obtaining custody licenses on a state-by-state basis, though it would not permit the acceptance of retail deposits. The company is also expected to offer spot crypto trading.
Approval would place Nomura alongside firms such as Circle, Ripple, and BitGo, which have received conditional approval from the OCC to operate as federally regulated trust banks, subject to final requirements.
