Line is a privately owned company headquartered in Japan, with LY Corporation as its parent company. Established in 2000, it employs approximately 4,100 individuals, specializing in software development. The company operates a communications platform, primarily serving as a messenger service in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. Beyond its core functionality of free instant messaging and VoIP calls, the platform integrates social media, mobile payments via LINE Pay, news aggregation through LINE TODAY, and specialized services such as LINE Doctor and LINE Music. As of 2026, LINE functions as a central lifestyle ecosystem for over 200 million monthly active users, leveraging its character IP (LINE FRIENDS) and an extensive API for businesses to provide an experience that bridges personal communication and daily transactions.
LY Corporation announced the appointment of a Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective October 1, 2026. Earlier on September 16, LY Corporation, in conjunction with Bain Capital through BCPE Blitz Cayman L.P., increased the tender offer price for Kakaku.com Inc. as part of a going-private transaction. This deal targets Kakaku.com’s common shares and share acquisition rights, aiming to make BCPE Blitz and major shareholder KDDI CORPORATION its sole owners. Previously, on August 28, SoftBank Group Corp. announced a change to the completion timing for LY Corporation's additional acquisition of shares in its consolidated subsidiary, LINE MAN CORPORATION PTE. LTD. (LMWN), via an LY subsidiary. This followed administrative guidance issued by multiple Japanese government agencies on August 19, including the National Police Agency, the Financial Services Agency, and the Digital Agency. The directive targeted major global social media operators concerning the spread of fraudulent advertisements on social networking platforms, specifically deepfake ads exploiting celebrity likenesses and voices for investment scams.
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