LINE FRIENDS to Introduce Minicoin Payments at Online and Physical Stores in 2027

IPX, formerly LINE FRIENDS, plans to accept minicoin for character merchandise purchases across its retail network, beginning with a phased rollout in the first half of 2027. The initiative will connect the brand's minini characters with blockchain-based payments, offering fans another way to shop online and in stores.

Seoul, South Korea, 5 November 2026 – IPX, the digital entertainment company formerly known as LINE FRIENDS, has announced plans to introduce cryptocurrency payments at its online and physical stores using minicoin, a digital asset associated with its popular minini characters.

The payment service is scheduled for a phased introduction during the first half of 2027, with plans to expand across LINE FRIENDS retail locations in South Korea and international markets.

Developed and issued by Mini Labs under an official licence from IPX, minicoin is a utility coin linked to the company's minini character intellectual property. The proposed payment system would allow customers to use the digital asset to purchase physical merchandise, extending its use beyond online transactions within the blockchain ecosystem.

The announcement represents a new direction for IPX, which has spent more than a decade developing entertainment characters and expanding their presence through retail products, digital content and collaborations with global brands.

LINE FRIENDS Plans to Accept Minicoin for Merchandise Purchases

Under the proposed system, customers will be able to use minicoin as a payment option when purchasing LINE FRIENDS merchandise through participating online and physical stores.

IPX intends to introduce the service gradually rather than making it available across its entire retail network at once. The company has identified the first half of 2027 as its target launch period but has not announced an exact starting date.

The initiative is designed to connect digital asset ownership with purchases involving the company's character brands, allowing fans to use a blockchain-based payment method during ordinary retail transactions.

For consumers, the practical experience will depend on how the payment system is implemented, including which wallets are supported and how transactions are processed at checkout.

IPX has not yet disclosed those technical arrangements or confirmed which stores will participate in the initial rollout.

The company also hasn't announced how minicoin payments will be converted into local currencies, whether transaction fees will apply or how refunds will be handled. These details will matter as the service moves closer to launch.

What Is Minicoin and How Does It Work?

Minicoin is a utility coin developed and issued by Mini Labs under an official licence to use IPX's minini characters.

The minini collection forms part of the LINE FRIENDS character portfolio, which has grown through merchandise, digital entertainment and retail experiences aimed at international audiences.

According to IPX, minicoin operates within a blockchain-based ecosystem intended to record activities associated with character intellectual property and fan participation.

These activities can include content creation, consumption and transactions, with the system designed to connect them to registration and settlement processes.

The planned retail payment service would introduce another use for the digital asset by linking it to purchases of physical products.

Although the company has outlined its intended use, the announcement does not specify the blockchain network supporting minicoin, its transaction costs or the technical requirements customers will need to meet before making payments.

IPX has also not disclosed any arrangements concerning price conversion or the management of digital asset volatility during retail transactions.

Why IPX Is Connecting Character Merchandise With Web3

LINE FRIENDS began as a collection of characters developed for stickers on the LINE messaging platform, including BROWN, CONY and SALLY.

The characters became the foundation of a wider entertainment business, with IPX developing products and collaborations that brought its intellectual property into stores and digital channels around the world.

With minicoin, the company is exploring whether blockchain payments can become another part of the relationship between its characters and their fans.

The initiative is intended to connect customers' participation in digital character communities with the products they purchase through LINE FRIENDS retail channels.

An IPX official said:

This service rollout marks an important step toward using digital assets to purchase physical merchandise, beyond trading and use within specific platforms.

The company believes the payment system could create further commercial uses for its character intellectual property while giving customers another way to interact with the brand.

The announcement does not suggest that conventional payment methods will be removed. Minicoin is being introduced as an additional option rather than a replacement for existing checkout systems.

International Fans Are a Major Focus of the Rollout

IPX expects overseas customers and international visitors to be among the potential users of its planned payment service.

The company pointed to visitor figures from K-POP SQUARE, a retail destination that opened in Seoul's Hongdae district in June 2025, as an indication of the international audience attracted by its entertainment properties.

According to IPX, the location welcomed more than one million visitors during its first year, with approximately 80% coming from overseas.

Those international visitors represented more than 90 countries, reflecting the reach of Korean entertainment and character merchandise among fans travelling to Seoul.

The figures suggest that IPX's retail business already serves customers from many different markets, creating an opportunity to explore payment methods beyond those traditionally available to international shoppers.

Whether minicoin offers an advantage over existing card and digital wallet payments will depend on transaction fees, accessibility and the checkout experience.

The company expects demand for the service but has not published forecasts for minicoin payment volumes or customer adoption.

Could Cryptocurrency Payments Become More Common in Character Retail?

The proposed rollout comes as digital asset companies continue exploring ways to use blockchain technology for purchases outside cryptocurrency trading platforms.

Retail adoption introduces practical requirements that differ from those associated with holding or transferring digital assets.

Merchants must be able to confirm payments, manage refunds and comply with applicable financial rules while maintaining a straightforward checkout process for customers.

Cross-border purchases can add further complexity because the legal treatment of digital assets and payment services differs between markets.

For a character merchandise company such as IPX, the appeal lies in connecting an existing international fan community with a payment method associated with its intellectual property.

The commercial results will depend on whether customers find the service useful enough to adopt it during everyday purchases.

IPX has not announced which payment service providers or technical partners will support the retail integration.

The company has also not provided details of how consumer protections will operate when customers purchase merchandise using minicoin.

LINE FRIENDS Expands Its Character Business Across Global Markets

IPX has continued developing its character portfolio since changing its corporate name from LINE FRIENDS.

Alongside its original characters, the company works with entertainment properties including BT21, developed in collaboration with BTS, and ZO&FRIENDS, associated with G-DRAGON.

Its portfolio also includes minini and JOGUMAN, while collaborations with companies such as Netflix and HoYoverse have extended its characters into other entertainment formats.

According to the company, IPX currently operates across 18 markets, including Seoul, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Shanghai, and maintains eight online sales platforms.

The company says its entertainment properties and partnerships have connected with more than 50 million Millennial and Generation Z fans worldwide.

This international retail presence provides an established distribution network through which IPX can introduce additional services connected to its character brands.

The minicoin payment project represents one of its efforts to explore the commercial uses of digital intellectual property through blockchain technology.

Minicoin Payments Expected to Launch in the First Half of 2027

IPX is targeting the first half of 2027 for the initial introduction of minicoin payments, followed by a gradual expansion across LINE FRIENDS stores in Korea and overseas.

The company has yet to confirm participating locations, supported wallets or the technical steps customers will need to complete before using the service.

Those details will determine how easily existing LINE FRIENDS customers can adopt the new payment method and whether it offers practical benefits during purchases.

For now, the announcement establishes IPX's intention to connect its character merchandise business with a digital asset developed under an official licence for the minini brand.

The planned launch will provide an opportunity to see how customers respond when a character-linked utility coin moves from a blockchain ecosystem into physical retail transactions.

About IPX (Formerly LINE FRIENDS)

IPX is a global digital intellectual property entertainment company formerly known as LINE FRIENDS.

The company began with original characters including BROWN, CONY and SALLY, which were created for use as stickers on the LINE messaging application.

Its portfolio has since expanded to include BT21, ZO&FRIENDS, minini and JOGUMAN, alongside entertainment collaborations with global companies including Netflix and HoYoverse.

IPX operates in 18 markets worldwide and maintains eight online sales platforms, combining character merchandise with digital content and international retail experiences.