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. The service is designed 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 the company's online and offline commerce with a Web3-based digital ecosystem. A phased rollout is targeted for the first half of 2027, offering customers in Korea and abroad an additional payment option for purchasing physical products with minicoin.

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

Minicoin is a utility coin — a type of digital asset designed to be used within a specific product or service ecosystem — developed and issued by Mini Labs under an official license granted by IPX to use its globally popular 'minini' character IP. 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.

The minicoin payment service is planned for phased rollout across LINE FRIENDS stores in Korea and abroad, with introduction 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 anticipates strong demand for the service. The announcement did not specify which store locations will introduce the service first or an exact launch date within that period, leaving the sequence of the phased rollout in Korea and abroad among the details to watch as the first half of 2027 approaches.

"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. Under a newly announced business strategy, IPX plans to accelerate the global expansion of its IP businesses by diversifying an IP portfolio targeting all ages and advancing its digital and retail operations. The company provides diverse IP experiences including BT21 (BTS), ZO&FRIENDS (G-DRAGON), minini, and JOGUMAN. It has also built its IP-based business through partnerships 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 official IPX website.