Blockchain-powered donation platform collaborates with NPO Yana to hold charitable bazaar

Mirae Asset Securities Expands Security Token Group with Media CollaboratorsSouth Korean securities firm Mirae Asset Securities announced yesterday the expansion of its security token working group. This development includes the addition of two new media-related companies to the group: Studio Genius, a content production house, and Solaire Partners, a venture capital firm with a specific focus on the media industry. Mirae has chosen to collaborate with these companies to jointly develop security token products centered around Korean films and TV series.Photo by Timothy Ries on UnsplashSynergy between Korean content and financeThe Korean securities company claims that since the Financial Services Commission unveiled regulatory guidelines for security tokens in February, it increased focus on exploring the synergy between Korean content and finance. In support of this, data from the Korea Creative Content Agency indicates that as of 2022, the Korean content market stands as the world’s seventh-largest, experiencing an average annual growth rate of 11%.Studio Genius, established by Yang Woo-suk, the director behind the box office success “The Attorney,” is currently in the process of producing a TV series with a global audience in mind.Meanwhile, Solaire Partners was a key investor in the critically acclaimed movie “Parasite.” This investment company, founded in 2017, is led by Choi Pyung-ho, a seasoned expert in content production. Prior to founding Solaire Partners, Choi held the position at CJ Entertainment (now CJ ENM) as head of its film business.Fractional investment and blockchain techOther participants who are newly joining the group include Treasurer, a luxury goods fractional investment platform, as well as Coinplug and Zkrypto, both technology companies. In collaboration with Treasurer, Mirae intends to discuss the valuation and commercialization of luxury goods, which hold substantial investment potential. Subsequently, they plan to explore various avenues for integrating security tokens into their business strategies.Coinplug is the first company in Korea to commercialize blockchain-based certificates for the financial sector. Positioned as a Web3 technology company, Coinplug boasts a diverse portfolio of blockchain technologies, including decentralized identity (DID), mainnets, wallets, decentralized applications (dApps), and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).Zkrypto stands as a prominent leader in South Korea within the realm of zero-knowledge (ZK) proof technology. This distinction is underscored by its product, which received an innovation award at CES in Las Vegas earlier this year. Mirae holds the belief that ZK-proof technology will play a pivotal role in facilitating enhanced privacy protection and accelerated transaction speeds for security tokens.Another collaborative endeavorIn addition to the aforementioned working group, Mirae is running the Next Finance Initiative, a consortium with the primary goal of broadening the security token ecosystem. Partners in this consortium are the two notable entities: SK Telecom and Hana Financial Group. Mirae will strive to further grow and enhance the reach of this consortium.

Parameta and Solbric Korea to Create First Solar Power Plant Security Token Platform in KoreaSouth Korean blockchain company Parameta (formerly known as Iconloop) said Tuesday it entered a business deal with Solbric Korea, a subsidiary of solar energy innovation company Next Solar Energy, to jointly establish the country’s first solar power plant security token platform that allows investors to make fractional investments in solar energy.Photo by Nuno Marques on UnsplashReceiving approval as an innovative financial serviceIn order to establish such a platform that designates solar power plants as underlying assets, they will jointly apply for a financial regulatory sandbox — a program introduced by the Korean government that offers a special and provisional regulatory exemption for financial services that have been recognized for their innovativeness.Once the platform is recognized under the sandbox as an innovative financial service, the two companies will work together on the issuance and distribution of security tokens.Expanding opportunities to invest in solar energyUltimately, Solbric aims to build a platform that brings security token technology to the solar power sector, which, until now, has presented limited investment opportunities for individual investors in Korea. It will allow them to trade securities and make small-scale, fractional investments in solar power plants.To do so, Solbric intends to leverage the knowledge and expertise of its parent company, Next Solar Energy — an experienced veteran in the solar plant industry.As its partner, Parameta will provide the necessary blockchain technology for constructing and managing the platform based on its security token offering service, Parameta S. This service uses tokens to allow fractional management of real-world assets (RWAs), making it easy to invest in and organize them. This offers more liquidity and flexibility compared to traditional investment methods.“We will focus on providing investment returns to platform users as well as the unique experience of owning various solar power plants,” said Kang Jae-won, the CEO of Solbric Korea.Increased institutional supportThis project is made possible by the recent upturn in institutional support from Korean financial authorities that allows more security token offerings. Last month, the Korean Financial Services Commission ultimately granted regulatory exemptions to several fractional investment firms that have successfully completed the business reorganization as requested by the regulator. The Financial Supervisory Service has also decided to allow fractional investment businesses to apply for investment contract securities.Taking advantage of this momentum, Solbric and Parameta plan to continually explore diverse business opportunities to establish their platform.“We are currently working with various specialized companies, including Solbric, to expand our security token businesses in various fields such as solar power plants, mobility, real estate non-performing loans, carbon emission rights, and electric vehicle batteries,” said Kim Jong-hyup, CEO of Parameta.

Starbucks Korea implements NFT initiative to boost sustainability effortsStarbucks Korea is set to take on several eco-friendly initiatives in the new year to promote the use of personal reusable cups, including an NFT wallet and a new tumbler coupon policy, according to local news outlet Newsis on Thursday (KST).Photo by Battlecreek Coffee Roasters on UnsplashNFTs and eco-friendly effortsIn a newfound development, the brand also said that it would start issuing NFTs through a new NFT wallet on its mobile app next month as part of its eco-friendly consumption campaign. Until now, NFTs have been widely utilized in fields like art, music and entertainment due to their ability to prove individual ownership of digital assets. Starbucks’ adoption of the technology is a significant step in its implementation into daily life, which will lead to an increase in the number of real-world use cases and an acceleration in the transition to the era of Web3.To celebrate the launch of the NFT wallet, Starbucks plans to hold a promotional event where customers who use a reusable cup for one beverage ordered via the Siren Order function will receive one Eco Stamp. Up to three stamps can be collected per day. These can be exchanged for various types of NFTs, which are categorized as Basic, Creative and Artist, and each customer can only own one.Starbucks’ NFTs will be minted in collaboration with Seoul-based art platform and gallery Print Bakery (PBG) and PBG exclusive artist DADAZ, featuring images of unique cups, tumblers and more.The franchise plans to hold an offline exhibition to showcase images of the NFTs as well as its achievements in corporate sustainability at the Starbucks Jongno R store located in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, early next month.Sustainable sipsThe coffee franchise is also known for offering a complimentary beverage voucher to customers who purchase a reusable cup or tumbler. Next month, this voucher will be renamed the Eco Tumbler Beverage Coupon, which customers can exchange for a tall-sized beverage of their choice. This policy is aimed at encouraging the use of personal cups and providing tailored benefits to customers who embrace sustainable options.This new introduction was partially driven by the steady increase in the number of personal cups used at Starbucks stores around the country over the past three years. The annual number of cases has risen from 17.39 million in 2020 to 21.9 million in 2021, then 25.3 million last year.This figure has spiked significantly this year in particular, with the cumulative yearly number reaching 26.7 million last month, surpassing last year’s total. If this trend continues until the end of the year, the estimated figure is expected to be around 29.6 million, representing a 17% increase compared to 2022.This upward trend is attributed to the immediate KRW 400 discount offered to customers who participate, as well as an alternative benefit where customers can earn one “Star”, or reward point, for each purchase that they make. Until last month, the total value of benefits that were distributed via these two systems — with one Star valued at KRW 500 — exceeded KRW 12 billion. The ratio of immediate discount and Star rewards in this value stands at 30% and 70%, respectively.Green commitmentStarbucks also plans to continue its No Single-Use Cup Day campaign, a collaboration with the Korea Zero Waste Movement Network that has been ongoing for the past five years. The brand dedicates the tenth of every month as a day without single-use disposable cups, giving out merchandise like mugs, tumblers, coffee ground planting kits and stickers. Since last year, various events have been organized to celebrate the day, such as coupons gifted to customers who use reusable cups the most. Approximately one million people have participated in these promotions since the campaign’s inception in 2018.Starbucks expressed its hopes that these initiatives would act as a catalyst for positive changes in local communities by encouraging the reduction of waste.