이 누리집은 대한민국 공식 전자정부 누리집입니다.
Biz News Korea(Eng)
Korea’s Kakao to set up subsidiary for blockchain business
- Collected
- 2018.03.06
- Distributed
- 2018.03.07
- Source
- Go Direct
The operator of the country’s largest chat platform is planning to recruit Han Jae-sun, the founder and chief technology officer of start-up accelerator Future Play, to head the subsidiary.
Kakao shares closed Tuesday, jumping 7.72 percent at 132,500 won on the news.
Kakao currently provides a blockchain-based identity confirmation service though its mobile payment service unit Kakao Pay. The company also owns 20 percent in Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, the country’s top cryptocurrency exchange.
Market watchers speculate the new subsidiary may seek to raise funds through an initial coin offering (ICO) like messaging app provider Telegram although Kakao was short of specifying concrete business areas. Telegram has recently raised $850 million in the first part of its ICO in the U.S.
Kakao’s new subsidiary plan comes after its rival portal operator Naver announced the establishment of LINE Financial through its Japanese affiliate LINE in January. LINE Financial is planning to run a crytocurrency exchange and provide blockchain-based financial services in Japan.
By Lee Sun-hee and Minu Kim
[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]