Share this article
Korean Messaging Giant Kakao to Launch Blockchain Subsidiary
South Korean internet giant Kakao, which owns the popular messaging app Kakao Talk, is reportedly moving to integrate blockchain in its business.
By Wolfie Zhao
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 7:38 a.m. Published Mar 6, 2018, 12:00 p.m.
South Korean internet giant Kakao, which owns the popular messaging app Kakao Talk, is reportedly moving to integrate blockchain technology in its business.
Local news source The Bell reported Monday that Kakao is considering the launch of a wholly-owned subsidiary that will focus on developing blockchain applications.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
Furthermore, the firm may be planning an initial coin offering (ICO). If so, the move echoes that of Telegram, another instant messenger company that claims to have netted $850 million so far through its multi-stage ICO.
According to another report by TechCrunch today, Kakao has confirmed that it aims to set up a blockchain unit, although no further details were revealed.
However, the company did not comment on the possibility of holding an ICO. Notably, the South Korea government explicitly banned the blockchain-based fund-raising activity in September last year.
The news follows Kakao's previous involvement in the launch of Upbit, a South Korea-based cryptocurrency exchange.
As reported by CoinDesk in September 2017, the company integrated its messaging service with the trading platform, allowing Upbit users to chat and place orders via the platform.
Earlier this year, Japanese messaging giant LINE also announced a plan to launch a new company providing cryptocurrency transactions, as well as exchange and loan services.
Kakao Talk app image via Shutterstock
More For You
What to know:
- As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
- GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
- Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.
More For You
U.S. Spot XRP ETFs Hit 15-Day Inflow Streak, Near $1B Milestone
U.S. spot XRP ETFs approaching $1 billion are the most significant altcoin launch yet, validating a regulatory blueprint for all utility tokens and signaling Wall Street's post-lawsuit conviction.
알아야 할 것:
- U.S. spot XRP ETFs are on track to surpass $1 billion in inflows soon, following a 15-day streak of net investments.
- The ETFs have benefited from the resolution of Ripple's court case with the SEC, which clarified XRP's regulatory status.
- Institutional interest in XRP ETFs is driven by their stability and liquidity, distinguishing them from other crypto ETFs.
Top Stories
