Sony's online banking unit has received conditional approval to establish Connectia Trust, N.A., a U.S. national trust bank that could support the issuance and management of USD-denominated stablecoins.

The New York-based subsidiary will launch with $40M in capital and be fully owned by Sony Bank. However, operations and any stablecoin issuance remain subject to final regulatory approval from the OCC.

The move comes as stablecoin adoption accelerates, with monthly transaction volume reaching a record $1.79T. Sony has previously explored using stablecoins for gaming and anime-related payments, signaling broader Web3 ambitions.

The company joins a growing list of firms, including Circle, Paxos, and Bridge, seeking federal trust bank structures under the evolving U.S. stablecoin regulatory framework.