Korean super app Toss is weighing a custom Layer 1 or Layer 2 blockchain and native token to power its “Money 3.0” stablecoin push as Seoul finalizes a strict digital asset law.
Summary
- South Korean fintech super app Toss is exploring a proprietary blockchain network and native cryptocurrency as part of its “Money 3.0” strategy.
- The firm has not yet chosen between a Layer 1 mainnet or a Layer 2 scaling design, with the decision closely tied to Seoul’s forthcoming Basic Law on Digital Assets.
- The move would deepen Toss’s push into stablecoins and tokenized finance, as the company posts record revenue of about $1.8 billion and prepares for possible overseas expansion.
South Korean payment and banking giant Toss is considering building its own blockchain network and issuing a native cryptocurrency, a move that would extend the super app’s stablecoin and Web3 ambitions into a full-stack digital asset platform, according to reporting from The Block. People familiar with internal discussions told Crypto In America that Toss is weighing whether to launch on a standalone Layer 1 mainnet or pursue a Layer 2 scaling approach, with no final decision yet taken. Insiders added that the architectural choice is being shaped by the progress of South Korea’s Basic Law on Digital Assets, a landmark bill expected to codify rules for token issuance, stablecoins, and crypto ETFs.
Toss, operated by Viva Republica, has rapidly grown from a mobile transfers app into a dominant financial super app with more than 30 million registered users and around 24 million monthly active users as of 2024, offering some 290 services from payments to trading and lending. The Korea Herald reports that Toss generated revenue of roughly $1.8 billion in 2025, up 38% year-on-year, while operating profit surged 270.3% to about $251 million and net profit jumped 846.7% to roughly $151 million. At the 2026 Seoul Blockchain Meetup, Toss corporate development director Seo Chang‑whoon said the company is “moving toward a new ‘Money 3.0’ era centered on blockchain and stablecoins,” outlining a vision in which programmable money makes finance “universal, programmable, verifiable, composable and seamless.”
The Basic Law on Digital Assets—sometimes described by Korean lawmakers as a “foundational” crypto statute—is expected to set strict requirements for stablecoin issuers, including 100% reserve backing in low‑risk assets and potential limits favoring bank‑led consortia. Lawmaker Min Byeong‑deok has called the bill “a significant turning point for the future of digital finance in the Republic of Korea,” arguing that it will finally provide a clear legal base for local firms to issue won‑denominated tokens rather than routing activity overseas. Industry observers say the second half of 2025 through the first half of 2026 could be an “explosive growth window” for Korean stablecoins as payments firms like Toss and rivals such as Kakao Pay and Naver Pay roll out won‑backed tokens and experiment with cross‑border use cases.
For Toss, a proprietary blockchain and native token could serve as the backbone for that strategy, underpinning everything from loyalty and remittances to on‑chain credit products that link its SohoScore small‑business credit model with smart contracts. “By 2026, we aim to complete a borderless financial super app by redesigning money itself—removing boundaries across borders, products, time and entities,” Seo said, framing the firm’s blockchain push as essential infrastructure for the next phase of its growth. Whether Toss ultimately opts for a Layer 1 network or a Layer 2 aligned with existing ecosystems will likely hinge on how far the Basic Law goes in steering stablecoin issuance toward bank‑controlled consortia and what room it leaves for independent fintech‑led chains.