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Podcast: Unchained
Episode: Why Sony Launched Soneium, an Ethereum L2, and Blacklisted Some Memecoins
Description: This week, Sony launched the mainnet for Soneium, its Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain built on the OP Stack from Optimism. Soneium is designed to support creators, developers, and fans through tools like Sony’s NFT-based Fan Marketing Platform and Soneium Spark.However, Soneium’s launch has sparked controversy. Its decision to blacklist some memecoins—over intellectual property concerns—has raised questions about the balance between decentralization and protecting creators’ rights. Even Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin weighed in, highlighting the tradeoffs businesses face in Web3.Sota Watanabe, CEO at Startale, took a quick interview to clear up the misund...