Line creates NFT subsidiaries in Korea and US in push for global expansion Messaging app provider plans to expand its NFT business beyond Japan
Translated by Ryu Ho-joung 공개 2021-12-23 08:18:41
이 기사는 2021년 12월 21일 06:55 thebell 에 표출된 기사입니다.
Line Corp, part of South Korea’s internet giant Naver, has launched two subsidiaries dedicated to non-fungible tokens (NFT), one in the domestic market and the other in the United States, as it seeks to expand its NFT business into global markets.Line Next, created in South Korea, will be wholly owned by Line Corp, while the newly created US unit will be wholly owned by Line Next to become a second-tier subsidiary of Line Corp, the company said on Thursday. Both units will be led by Ko Young-su, Line’s chief product officer.
NFTs are digital assets with unique identifying codes which can be bought and sold on the blockchain. A range of assets such as art, music and land can be transformed into NFTs.
With NFTs dominating gaming and other digital assets within the metaverse, the number of NFT exchanges is on the rise. South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, operated by Dunamu, also launched a beta service of NFT trading platform Upbit NFT in November.
In South Korea, however, there is regulatory uncertainty, with the country’s financial watchdog still conducting a review to decide whether or not NFTs fall under virtual assets.
If some of NFTs are classified as virtual assets under South Korea law, which is highly likely in the future, NFT exchanges operating without license could be forced to suspend their operations and even be charged with illegal business activities.
This is apparently the reason that Line decided to establish two NFT subsidiaries in South Korea and the US, respectively. The company intends to expand its foothold in the global NFT ecosystem through the US unit while letting the South Korean unit play a role as a think tank.
Expansion beyond Japan
Line has already been doing blockchain-based business in Japan for the past years through its subsidiaries such as Unblock and Unchain. But it decided to create new entities dedicated to NFTs, a move seen as part of efforts by the company to reduce its reliance on the Japanese market.
Line, Japan's most popular messaging app with more than 86 million users, entered the NFT market in the country this year, creating Line Friends characters in NFT format and selling NFT background images in partnership with metaverse platform Zepeto.
Line has made it clear that it aims to expand across geographies beyond Japan. “The newly created units are dedicated to expanding our NFT business into global markets and are currently recruiting staff,” an official at Line said. (Reporting by Yun-ju Roh)
< 저작권자 ⓒ 자본시장 미디어 'thebell', 무단 전재, 재배포 및 AI학습 이용 금지 >
관련기사
best clicks
최신뉴스 in 전체기사
-
- [퍼포먼스&스톡]꺾여버린 기세에…포스코홀딩스, '자사주 소각' 카드 재소환
- [퍼포먼스&스톡]LG엔솔 예견된 실적·주가 하락, 비용 절감 '집중'
- [퍼포먼스&스톡]포스코인터, 컨센서스 웃돌았지만 주가는 '주춤'
- 신한금융, ‘리딩금융’ 재탈환에 주주환원 강화 자신감
- 젬백스링크, 포니 자율주행자동차 국내 도입
- 더테크놀로지, 전략 수집 RPG '리버스 삼국' 출시
- [ICTK road to IPO]빅테크 고객사들이 상장 청원한 사연은
- '무차입' 씨피시스템, 상장으로 퀀텀점프 노린다
- 금양인터, 미국 프리미엄 와인 '벨라 오크스' 출시
- [ICTK raod to IPO]2년 뒤 매출 300억, 근거는 '글로벌 빅테크'