Sony’s banking division plans to launch its own U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoins and offer digital asset custody and management services. To this end, its subsidiary applied for a national banking license in the United States.
Sony Bank, part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group, aims to enter the digital asset market. Its subsidiary Connectia Trust submitted an application to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national banking charter in the U.S., which would officially authorize it to conduct crypto-related operations at the federal level.
According to the filing, Connectia Trust intends to issue U.S. dollar stablecoins, hold reserves in cash and government bonds, and provide custody and fiduciary asset management services. These activities are permitted for national banks under current U.S. regulations. Other applicants for similar licenses include Stripe, Coinbase, Ripple, Paxos, Circle, and several others.
Sony Group’s initiative aligns with a broader trend of traditional financial institutions entering the regulated digital currency space, spurred by the adoption of the GENIUS Act in the U.S., which established unified federal standards for stablecoin issuers.
Connectia Trust’s application also reflects Sony Group’s broader Web3 strategy. In January 2025, the company launched Soneium, a blockchain built on the Ethereum ecosystem, designed to scale decentralized apps and integrate digital assets into the company’s ecosystem.
Sony Bank’s plans to issue a stablecoin were first revealed back in April 2024, when the company announced it was experimenting with a yen-pegged stablecoin.
