Startale Group, in partnership with stablecoin infrastructure platform M0, announced Startale USD (USDSC) on December 3, marking the first institutional-grade stablecoin deployment on Soneium, Sony's Ethereum Layer-2 blockchain network.

Details: The USDSC Stablecoin

USDSC is designed to act as the default stablecoin for payments, rewards, and transactions across the Soneium ecosystem, according to a Wednesday announcement from Startale Group. The stablecoin is backed by short-term U.S. Treasuries and built on M0's modular stablecoin platform, which enables application-specific customization while maintaining shared liquidity across deployments.

M0's infrastructure separates stablecoin reserve management from design, allowing regulated entities to manage collateral while developers control token functionality. The platform raised $40 million in Series B funding in August 2025 and has previously partnered with MetaMask and the Stripe-owned Bridge, specifically for stablecoin projects.

"Builders want flexibility in how they build, choice on their issuance model, and interoperability with deep, unified liquidity…" said Luca Prosperi, CEO and Co-founder of M0. "By building USDSC on M0's open platform, Startale introduces a digital dollar for users across the Startale App and the broader Soneium ecosystem."

Accompanying Rewards System

Alongside USDSC, Startale is launching so-called ‘STAR Points’; a native rewards system within the Startale App that incentivizes user activity. Users can earn points through holding USDSC, providing liquidity on Uniswap, completing missions, and interacting with decentralized applications built on Soneium.

The rewards program is designed to accelerate user adoption by converting everyday blockchain interactions into tangible value, with future benefits including gas credits, point multipliers, and priority access to token launches.

Context: Japan's Stablecoin Adoption

USDSC's introduction aligns with Japan's expanding digital currency policy framework. 

In November 2025, Japan's Financial Services Agency officially endorsed a pilot program enabling the country's three largest banks, MUFG, SMBC, and Mizuho, to jointly issue yen-backed stablecoins under the newly launched ‘Payment Innovation Project’. The consortium, which also includes Mitsubishi Corporation and blockchain infrastructure provider Progmat, began testing in November 2025 to examine multi-bank stablecoin issuance frameworks.

Separately, there are widespread reports that Sony Bank, which recently became an independent entity from Sony Group itself, plans to launch a dollar-denominated stablecoin by fiscal year 2026. According to Nikkei, Sony Bank’s stablecoin will be launched in the US and will be designed to support payments for gaming, anime, and digital content within Sony's entertainment ecosystem.

About Startale Labs

Startale Labs is a Singapore-based technology company focused on developing core infrastructure and applications for Web3. The company was founded in 2023 as a spin-out from Astar Foundation and is led by CEO Sota Watanabe, who also founded the Astar Network.

In September 2023, Startale formed a joint venture with Sony Network Communications to develop blockchain infrastructure, which ultimately led to the creation of Sony Block Solutions Labs. Sony Network Communications previously invested $3.5 million in Startale Labs to support its Web3 infrastructure development.

"USDSC makes it simple for users to earn, interact, and transact every day," said Watanabe. "We want onchain finance to be intuitive, safe, and rewarding for everyone on the Startale App."

About Soneium

Soneium is a versatile general-purpose blockchain platform built on Ethereum Layer-2 technology, developed by Sony Block Solutions Labs. The blockchain officially launched its mainnet in January, 2025, following a four-month testnet phase that attracted over 14 million wallets and processed approximately 47 million transactions.

Soneium uses Optimism's OP Stack technology and is integrated into the Optimism Superchain ecosystem, the same technical infrastructure powering Coinbase's Base network and Kraken's Ink network.

According to Soneium’s official announcement, the network aims to ‘invoke emotion and empower creativity’ by connecting blockchain technology with everyday internet services.

Sources

• Startale Labs: Introducing Startale USD and STAR Points: Building Real Utility Across the Startale App
• CoinDesk: Sony’s Blockchain Partner Startale Launches Dollar Stablecoin on Soneium
• Decrypt: Sony's Blockchain Partner Launches Institutional-Grade Stablecoin for Soneium
• Cointelegraph: Crypto payments coming to PlayStation as Sony plans stablecoin launch in 2026
• The Block: Japan's regulator backs joint stablecoin project by three major banks
• Finance Feeds: Japan’s FSA Backs Stablecoin Pilot With Mizuho, MUFG and SMBC
• Soneium: Soneium Mainnet: Invoking Emotion And Empowering Creativity
• Sony: Development of Blockchain "Soneium™"
• Soneium: Soneium is for all: First Quarter of Mainnet Launch Wrap-up
• CoinDesk: Sony’s Layer-2 Blockchain 'Soneium' Goes Live
• Yahoo Finance: Sony Network Communications Invests $3.5M in Singapore Web3 Company Startale Labs
• Sony: Sony Network Communications and Startale Labs Form Joint Venture to Build a blockchain in areas of Global Web3 Infrastructure
• PYMNTS: M0 Raises $40 Million for Stablecoin Infrastructure Platform
• Nikkei Asia: Sony Bank to issue dollar-pegged stablecoin in US

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