Fans of Japanese idols and fashion are stepping into a new era of recognition and reward as Soneium, Sony Block Solutions Labs’ Layer-2 blockchain platform, joins forces with IRC APP, the official app for the Idol Runway Collection (IRC).
This collaboration integrates IRC into Soneium’s AI-driven IPFi infrastructure, allowing fans’ social media activity to be tracked, scored, and rewarded directly on-chain, creating a measurable and tangible way to contribute to their favourite artists.
The IRC APP evaluates positive, consistent, and supportive posts on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter).
The AI calculates an “IRC Score,” which is automatically credited to users’ on-chain wallets without gas fees.
This score determines Membership rank—Regular, Bronze, Silver, or Gold—with higher tiers offering real-world benefits at IRC 2026 on 15 March 2026 in Tokyo.
Fans can gain early ticket access, priority entry, premium venue invitations, and influence event decisions through on-chain voting, making their participation more than just a digital gesture.
IRC, hosted by YOAKE Entertainment and supported by Tokyo Girls Collection (TGC), has grown into one of Japan’s largest idol and fashion hybrid events.
The 2025 edition drew approximately 11,800 attendees and featured 107 idol groups on a single stage.
IRC 2026 will continue this growth, uniting top acts like Nogizaka46, FRUITS ZIPPER, CANDY TUNE, CUTIE STREET, and Takamine no Nadeshiko.
With TGC’s backing, IRC has developed a production infrastructure capable of handling millions of fans through live events, regional tours, and nationwide livestreams.
Sony launched Soneium’s mainnet on 14 January 2025 to provide a production-grade blockchain tailored for entertainment, gaming, and intellectual property applications.
Built on Ethereum’s OP Stack, the network combines high throughput with low fees, supporting large-scale applications like IRC APP.
By leveraging Account Abstraction (AA) technology, users can interact with blockchain without needing cryptocurrency knowledge or worrying about transaction costs.
The platform ensures that fan contributions are permanently recorded, immutable, and portable across events and services, turning everyday social media activity into a form of digital asset.
Lessons From Asia Show Web3 Participation Drives Value
Soneium’s approach reflects lessons learned from prior Asian entertainment experiments.
Korea’s girl group tripleS, for instance, integrated blockchain to give fans voting power via NFTs and tokens in the COSMO app.
This model generated revenue even before the group debuted, offering fair compensation and transparent fan participation.
In contrast, platforms like Momentrica by Dunamu and HYBE failed because they treated NFTs as static collectibles without ongoing utility or engagement, resulting in an operating loss of 13 billion KRW ($8.88 million).
The difference is clear: successful Web3 entertainment requires participatory structures rather than just digital merchandise.
Within IRC APP, accumulated scores not only elevate membership ranks but also grant access to exclusive event benefits.
Voting occurs on-chain, preventing manipulation or hidden adjustments common in traditional fan polls.
By publishing voting history and tallying results transparently, the system provides verifiable influence over aspects of IRC 2026, creating a model of fandom where contributions carry both symbolic and practical value.
YOAKE Entertainment, winner of Sony’s Soneium Spark startup contest, operates IRC APP with investment support from major Japanese entertainment firms including TWIN PLANET, Asobi System, W TOKYO, and Y&N Brothers.
The collaboration highlights the growing trend of combining idols, fashion, and technology to engage fans in measurable ways, positioning IRC as a blueprint for digital fandom in Japan and beyond.
With its scalable architecture, Soneium is not limiting the IRC APP to idol fandom.
The same participation-driven framework could be applied to anime, fashion, and other creative industries, enabling fans worldwide to have a measurable, rewarded role in shaping cultural content.
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