IPX to Roll Out 'minicoin' Payments at LINE FRIENDS Stores in First Half of 2027
Key Takeaways
- •IPX, the company formerly known as LINE FRIENDS, plans to roll out a minicoin payment service across its LINE FRIENDS stores in Korea and overseas, with deployment beginning in phases in the first half of 2027.
- •Minicoin is a utility coin developed and issued by Mini Labs, which operates under an official license from IPX to use the 'minini' character IP.
- •The service is designed to integrate digital asset payments into merchandise purchases, linking fan engagement with character IP to the point of sale and connecting retail operations with a blockchain-based ecosystem.
- •IPX expects strong demand, pointing to K-POP SQUARE in Seoul's Hongdae district, which drew more than one million visitors in its first year, approximately 80% of them international fans from over 90 countries.
- •The announcement did not specify which stores will be included in the earliest rollout phases or how customers will acquire minicoin for use at checkout.
Seoul, South Korea — November 5, 2026 — 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.
The initiative, announced via Chainwire, 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 and connecting IPX's online and offline retail operations with a Web3-based digital ecosystem (a term broadly used for internet applications and services built on blockchain technology). The company frames the move as an expansion of IP experiences 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 that expertise in IP and retail, the company presents the new service as a digital IP commerce model that integrates digital asset payment technology into merchandise purchases.
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 — meaning IPX supplies its character IP under license while Mini Labs develops and issues the coin itself. Utility coins are a category of digital asset built to perform a specific function within a particular ecosystem or service. 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 them to registration and settlement processes.
Phased Rollout From the First Half of 2027
The minicoin payment service is planned for phased rollout across LINE FRIENDS stores in Korea and abroad, with deployment targeted for the first half of 2027. The service is expected to give international visitors and overseas fans additional payment options. 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. As digital assets gain traction as payment methods worldwide, the company expects the service to see strong demand. The announcement did not specify which stores will be included in the earliest phases of the rollout or how customers will obtain minicoin for use at checkout.
"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 (F.K.A. LINE FRIENDS)
IPX is the new corporate name of LINE FRIENDS, a global character brand that started with original characters including BROWN, CONY, and SALLY, created for use as stickers for the leading mobile messenger app LINE and its 200 million active users worldwide. The company has announced a new business strategy to accelerate the global expansion of its IP businesses by diversifying IP portfolios targeting all ages and advancing its digital and retail operations. IPX provides diverse IP experiences including BT21 (BTS), ZO&FRIENDS (G-DRAGON), minini, and JOGUMAN, and has pursued IP-based collaborations with global companies including Netflix (original animated series) and HoYoverse (Genshin Impact), reaching more than 50 million Millennials and Generation Z consumers worldwide. IPX currently operates in 18 markets worldwide, including Seoul, New York, LA, Tokyo, and Shanghai, and runs 8 online sales platforms. Further information is available on the company's official website:
Media Contacts
- Manager Jiwoo Hong, Burson — jiwoo.hong@bursonglobal.com
- Sr. Director Hanna Park, Burson — hanna.park@bursonglobal.com
Source: CoinoMedia
