Toss has reportedly partnered with Optimism and Sunnyside Labs for a proof of concept on the feasibility of a Korean won-based stablecoin for payments. Viva Republica, the operator of South Korea-based mobile money transfer app Toss, reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding with blockchain company Optimism to test a Korean won-based stablecoin infrastructure for institutional payments. The companies, along with privacy solutions provider Sunnyside Labs, will conduct a three-month proof of concept (PoC) using Optimism's OP Stack and Sunnyside's Privacy Boost protocol to develop a Korean won-based stablecoin and assess whether these technologies can be applied to domestic blockchain-based payment infrastructure for financial institutions, reported Yonhap News on Wednesday. The PoC will explore whether financial institutions can control the settlement process, the feasibility of implementing know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) verification requirements and whether transactions can rem...
South Korean fintech unicorn Toss plans to launch a finance superapp in Australia this year and issue a Korean won stablecoin once regulations allow. South Korean fintech unicorn Toss plans to launch a finance superapp in Australia this year, its first overseas expansion, while also preparing to issue a Korean won-based stablecoin once regulations allow. According to a Tuesday Reuters report, Toss CEO Lee Seung-gun said that the firm plans to launch its superapp in Australia this year and expand to other markets too. “We proved in Korea that a startup can compete head-on with entrenched players,” he told the outlet. “A similar model can work globally, especially in countries where users juggle multiple bank accounts or fintech apps. We want to bring them into one seamless experience.” The CEO said that Toss has attracted more than 30 million users in South Korea since it launched in 2015. Australia is just the first overseas push for the company, where the firm hopes to leverage a fragmented banking system an...