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Sony Bank deployed Billions’ zero-knowledge proof technology for KYC - as a part of a pilot program.
The Challenge
When one of Japan’s largest online banks needed to verify customer identities for stablecoin transactions and web3 services, they faced the same dilemma every financial institution confronts: comply with regulations or protect customer privacy.
Sony Bank chose both.
They faced the challenge every regulated institution hits:
- Traditional KYC = customer data everywhere.
- Every platform gets full access.
- All stored in centralized databases.
- All vulnerable to breaches.
For their Japanese yen stablecoin project and Sony Bank Connect app, they needed something better.
The Solution
Working with SettleMint, Sony Bank integrated Billions’ zero-knowledge KYC:
✅ Zero-Knowledge Identity Verification:
- Customers prove eligibility (age, residency, accreditation) cryptographically.
- Without exposing personal data.
✅ W3C Standard DIDs:
- Customers control their credentials.
- No centralized honeypots.
✅ On-Chain Verification:
- Smart contracts handle verification automatically.
- Instant. Private. Compliant.
Real-World Results
This isn’t theory. Sony Bank Connect made it real: Real transactions. Real customers. Real privacy using zero-knowledge proofs today.
The deployment proves:
- ✅ Major institutions can adopt web3 without surveillance
- ✅ Zero-knowledge proofs work at institutional scale
- ✅ Privacy + compliance aren’t opposing forces
- ✅ Regulatory compliance (KYC/AML)
- ✅ No personal data storage liability
- ✅ Faster customer onboarding
- ✅ Reduced operational costs
- ✅ Better user experience
Sony Bank’s broader vision to make "Borderless Digital Banking for more 'Fun'" is now built on Billions’ privacy tech.
Institution-Ready Infrastructure
Sony Bank joins a growing ecosystem of institutions - including HSBC, Deutsche Bank, European clinics protecting patient data, and government entities - choosing Billions for privacy-preserving identity infrastructure.
As digital finance evolves, the institutions that win will respect customer privacy while maintaining compliance.
Sony Bank understood this early. Now they’re proving it works.
What’s Next?
About SettleMint
SettleMint is a blockchain transformation platform that helped Sony Bank integrate zero-knowledge proof technology into their existing infrastructure, connecting people, processes, and technology for successful blockchain adoption.
