Japanese messaging application Line and investment banking giant Nomura announced on Wednesday that they have formed a partnership that will see the two firms developing blockchain technology.
It’s not the first time that the two companies have collaborated.
Back in May, Nomura and Line, which is owned by South Korean conglomerate Naver Corp, announced that they would be setting up a new company to provide securities brokerage services and investment advice.
That service is yet to be launched, but it was a conspicuous example of an old banking firm, Nomura, attempting to tap into the young client base of a technology company.
It isn’t entirely clear what the new memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed by the two companies, will seek to do.
Bringing everything on Line
A statement released by the firms says that the signing of the MoU will allow the companies to “begin discussions on forming a financial business alliance focused on blockchain technology.”
“Specifically,” the company continued, “the parties will consider forming a capital alliance in which LVC [Line’s blockchain division] will increase capital by way of third-party allotment of new shares to Nomura.”
This would seem to imply that Nomura is going to be taking control of some percentage of Line’s blockchain subsidiary.
If that is the case, it’s not clear how much of a percentage the investment bank will take control of.
This is likely to become clearer in the near future, with the firms saying that the deal will be completed by the end of March of this year.
Line itself has been working on developing various cryptocurrency products for some time now. Towards the end of last year, the company launched its own cryptocurrency, Link, and its own exchange, Bitbox.
Those products appear to have been developed as a part of a wider strategy to bring a whole host of activities, ranging from getting a taxi to financial services, on to the Line application.
(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
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