Adding web3 features to an existing successful social network is becoming a well-worn business plan and it’s one that LINE’s web3 arm LINE NEXT is already successfully operating.
Since launching Mini Dapps in January 2025, the platform is scaling fast, as revealed by LINE NEXT Inc. CSO Woosuk Kim.
In particular, he highlights what he believes is the higher quality of its Mini Dapps, which is driving the uptake of web3 activities as well as other KPIs in terms of monetization.
BlockchainGamer: How would you describe the initial reception of Mini Dapps?
Woosuk Kim: In just its first month, Mini Dapp reached more than 35 million users, with more than 3 million wallets created and an average purchase amount per buyer of around $39. Some 32% of the payments for dapp items were made through non-virtual assets like credit cards, which was a solid indication that users unfamiliar with virtual assets were actively using the service.
As of now, the total number of accumulated users has reached 50 million, with the leading dapp in terms of users having reached 5 million users and the No.1 dapp in terms of item sales recording more than $2 million.
What are some trends you’ve spotted?
Thanks to Mini Dapp, web3 has significantly lowered user acquisition costs. LINE users are also quickly accepting web3 services because of the large user rewards offered and user-centered design.
The quality of web3 dapps is greatly improving. In the past, there were many low-quality services such as T2E (Tap-to-Earn) web3 dapps, but LINE’s Mini Dapps are releasing dapps that are of excellent quality, as good as web2 services. Together, we believe that these trends are reshaping the overall market for web3 products.
Which games have been most popular?
The most successful services are those that offer a level of excellence as good as web2 games while also making good use of web3 rewards and communities. This shows that what is ultimately more important than the distinction between web2 and web3 is the enjoyment and benefits received by the users.
A good service provides both fun and benefits. We want to become a platform that puts our users first in that way.
Which countries have been most active?
The top 4 regions for Mini Dapp usage are Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and Korea, demonstrating how LINE Messenger users have been driving the service so far.
- Top 4 GMV: Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam
- Top 4 ARPPU: Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand
- Top 4 Dapp Portal users: Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan.
What plans do you have to sustain this audience beyond token giveaways?
We plan to introduce web3 services based on stablecoins. Stablecoins have the potential to completely transform the user experience and greatly enhance sustainability. We are also preparing exciting partnerships and services.
What key challenges have you been facing in converting web2 users into web3?
The current web3 market is not large and needs to grow in terms of the number of users. The number of virtual asset holders worldwide has exceeded 600 million, but the number of users using web3 services is around 70 million per month.
Some 90% of internet users use services on mobile devices, but web3 users still mostly use the web version. I think the main reason for this is the wallet UX that connects users with Dapps and web3 services. Users won’t use a service if they don’t understand it.
I think we are still in the process of solving this problem. Fortunately, since launching, we have become confident that we can solve this problem. We will strive to provide content and platforms that most general web2 users can relate to.
What’s next for Mini Dapps, and more generally for Line Next?
We plan to introduce new services based on stablecoins and improve the service experience through stronger integration with LINE. Our goal is to popularize web3 globally. Ultimately, we want to create a service ecosystem that is more user-centered.
Web3 and blockchain are just technologies, just the means. In the end, what matters is what the users prefer. The internet has always developed with the user in mind, and web3 is a technology that will grow by being more user-centered.
Check out the official Dappportal here.