SEOUL, South Korea, November 5, 2026 (Chainwire) — Digital IP entertainment company IPX (formerly LINE FRIENDS) plans to introduce a payment service using 'minicoin' at LINE FRIENDS online and offline stores, with a phased rollout targeted for the first half of 2027. The service is expected to connect LINE FRIENDS' online and offline commerce with the Web3 ecosystem, offering customers in Korea and abroad an additional payment option for purchasing physical products with minicoin.

According to the announcement, the initiative is intended to make digital asset payments a seamless extension of the fan experience, linking fans' engagement with character IP directly to the point of purchase. By connecting IPX's online and offline commerce with a Web3-based digital ecosystem, the company aims to extend fan interactions beyond content and merchandise.

A New Digital IP Commerce Model

For more than a decade, IPX has brought its character IPs to life through products, content, and pop-ups, extending these experiences across online and offline channels worldwide. Building on this accumulated expertise in IP and retail, the company positions the introduction of the payment service as a new digital IP commerce model that integrates digital asset payment technology into merchandise purchases.

What Is Minicoin

Minicoin is a utility coin developed and issued by Mini Labs under an official license granted by IPX to use its globally popular 'minini' character IP. In practice, that places development and issuance of the coin with Mini Labs, while IPX's contribution centers on licensing its 'minini' character IP for use in the ecosystem. The coin's blockchain-based ecosystem is designed to transparently record activities generated through interactions between IP and fans — including creation, consumption, and transactions — and link those activities to registration and settlement processes.

Rollout Plans and Retail Footprint

The minicoin payment service is planned for a phased rollout across LINE FRIENDS stores in Korea and abroad, with deployment targeted for the first half of 2027. The announcement describes the deployment as phased but does not specify which markets will go live first or how minicoin payments will operate at the point of sale, leaving per-market sequencing and payment mechanics as details to follow as the target window approaches. The company expects the service to offer international visitors and overseas fans additional payment options, positioning the rollout as part of its broader effort to link character IP engagement with commerce.

K-POP SQUARE, which opened in the heart of Seoul's Hongdae district in June 2025, welcomed over one million visitors in its first year, approximately 80% of whom were international fans from more than 90 countries. IPX expects the service to appeal to this international audience as digital assets gain traction as payment methods worldwide.

"This service rollout marks an important step toward using digital assets to purchase physical merchandise, beyond trading and use within specific platforms," said an IPX official. "We believe that the value of IP can grow further as it expands beyond connecting with fans through content and products to finding new ways to engage with them across the digital IP ecosystem. We will continue to explore new IP business opportunities that connect IP, fans, and commerce together in this evolving landscape."

About IPX (formerly LINE FRIENDS)

IPX is the new corporate name of LINE FRIENDS, a global character brand that began with original characters including BROWN, CONY, and SALLY, created as stickers for the leading mobile messenger app LINE and its 200 million active users worldwide. The company has announced a business strategy to accelerate the global expansion of its IP businesses by diversifying its IP portfolios to target all ages and advancing its digital and retail business.

IPX provides diverse IP experiences including BT21 (BTS), ZO&FRIENDS (G-DRAGON), minini, and JOGUMAN. It has also carried out IP-based business through partnerships with global companies including Netflix (original animated series) and HoYoverse (Genshin Impact), winning the hearts of over 50 million Millennials and Generation Z consumers worldwide. IPX currently operates in 18 markets around the world, including Seoul, New York, LA, Tokyo, and Shanghai, and runs 8 online sales platforms. More information is available on the company's official website: ipxcorp.com.

Media Contact

Manager Jiwoo Hong, Burson — jiwoo.hong@bursonglobal.com
Sr. Director Hanna Park, Burson — hanna.park@bursonglobal.com

Source: FinancePolice