Sony Bank, the online lending arm of Sony Financial Group, is reportedly preparing to launch a stablecoin that will enable payments in the Sony ecosystem in the US.
Sony plans to issue a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar in 2026 and is expected to be used to buy PlayStation games, subscriptions and anime content, Nikkei reported on Monday.
Targeting US customers – who account for roughly 30% of Sony Group’s external sales – the stablecoin is expected to work alongside existing payment options such as credit cards, helping to reduce fees paid to card networks, the report said.
Sony Bank apply in October for a US banking license to establish a stablecoin-focused subsidiary and has partnered with US stablecoin issuer Bastion. Sony’s venture arm also joined Bastion’s $14.6 million round, led by Coinbase Ventures.
Sony Bank is actively involved in Web3
Sony Bank’s stablecoin promotion in the US comes amid the company’s active venture into Web3, with the bank establishment dedicated Web3 branch in June.
“Digital assets using blockchain technology are involved in a diverse range of services and business models,” Sony Bank said in a statement in May.
“Financial services, such as wallets, which store NFT (non-fungible tokens) and cryptocurrency assets, and crypto exchange service providers are becoming increasingly important,” it added.
Web3 unit, later appointed BlockBloom aims to build an ecosystem that brings together fans, artists, NFTs, digital and physical experiences, and fiat and digital currencies.
Related: Animoca Considers Stablecoins, AI, DePIN as Expands Focus in 2026: Exec
Sony Bank’s stablecoin initiative follows the recent spin-off of its parent company, Sony Financial Group, which was separated from Sony Group and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in September.
The purpose of the move was to separate the financial arm’s balance sheet and operations from the wider Sony conglomerate, allowing each to sharpen its strategic focus.
Cointelegraph reached out to Sony Bank for comment regarding a potential stablecoin launch in the US, but had not heard back by the time of publication.
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