South Korean fintech company Toss is moving deeper into Web3 finance by building out digital-asset infrastructure that could eventually sit alongside its existing payments, banking, and securities businesses. According to a report published by regional blockchain outlet Blockmedia on April 6, 2026, Toss, operated by Viva Republica, is developing its own blockchain mainnet and a native cryptocurrency designed to support its broader financial ecosystem.
The company’s scale gives the initiative unusual weight in the Korean market. Toss serves roughly 30 million registered users, a figure that represents nearly 60% of South Korea’s population. Through a single super app, it already operates Toss Bank, Toss Securities, and Toss Payments. A proprietary blockchain network would allow the firm to extend that integrated model into on-chain finance while gaining more direct control over fee structures, governance, and application development.
L1 or L2: Architecture Still Under Review
Blockmedia reported that Toss is currently weighing two strategic paths. One option is to build a full Layer 1 blockchain from the ground up. The other is to launch a customized Layer 2 network on top of an existing chain. According to an internal source cited in the report, the company has not made a final decision, and the outcome is closely tied to the progress of South Korea’s pending Digital Assets Basic Act.
That regulatory uncertainty remains a central constraint. South Korea has not yet finalized the legal framework governing digital assets, and current rules around settlement and foreign exchange make stablecoin issuance more complicated. As a result, Toss appears to be structuring much of its blockchain planning around compliance readiness rather than rushing to market with a fixed technical design.
This wait-and-see approach does not mean the company is standing still. Since February 2026, Toss has been hiring blockchain engineers across a wide range of functions, including wallet systems, APIs, transaction processing, node operations, cryptographic signing, and financial compliance. The breadth of those roles suggests that the company is preparing for a full-stack digital asset strategy rather than a limited experimental rollout.
Stablecoin Trademark Filings Signal Long-Term Intent
One of the clearest signs of Toss’s ambitions is its stablecoin groundwork. The company has reportedly formed a dedicated stablecoin task force led by Chief Business Officer Kyuha Kim. In June 2025, Toss registered trademarks for 24 Korean-won stablecoin names, including “TOSSKRW”. Those filings point to an intention to secure branding and issuance flexibility well before any formal launch.
For a fintech platform centered on consumer finance, payments, and brokerage services, a KRW-linked stablecoin strategy could become a natural extension of its current product suite. If regulations permit, stablecoins could support faster payments, settlement, treasury movement, tokenized financial products, and cross-platform interoperability. While Toss has not confirmed the commercial design of any token, the trademark activity indicates that its digital money plans are more than exploratory.
Embedded Web3 Wallet and the “Money 3.0” Vision
Toss has also confirmed that it is building a Web3 wallet directly inside its existing app, rather than launching a separate download. According to the report, the wallet is expected to support virtual asset storage, transfers, payments, and management of tokenized securities. This embedded approach aligns with Toss’s super-app strategy: instead of asking users to move to standalone crypto products, the company appears to be aiming for a seamless transition from traditional fintech functions into blockchain-based services.
In a company statement cited by the report, a Toss spokesperson said digital-asset-based financial infrastructure is viewed as an important area for the future. The spokesperson added that the company is actively recruiting talent with relevant expertise and is broadly considering partnerships with various counterparties, while prioritizing technology acquisition.
The broader strategic framing was laid out in March 2026 at the Seoul Blockchain Meetup 2026, where Seo Chang-whoon, the company’s head of corporate development, presented Toss’s “Money 3.0” framework. The idea centers on programmable money powered by smart contracts, borderless finance that works beyond currency, geography, and time constraints, and a stablecoin issuance and distribution strategy tied to real financial services rather than isolated crypto use cases.
The presentation also included a proof of concept that linked Toss’s small-business credit model, SohoScore, with smart contracts for automated lending. That detail is significant because it shows Toss is not just thinking about blockchain as a settlement layer or payment rail. It is exploring how on-chain logic could reshape credit and underwriting workflows inside mainstream financial products.
Strategic Trade-Offs and Market Competition
Industry experts cited by Blockmedia outlined the trade-offs in Toss’s technical choice. Professor Seokjin Hwang of Dongguk University said that an independent blockchain infrastructure can reduce reliance on external parties and improve business scalability. From that perspective, a proprietary L1 could give Toss maximum flexibility in setting service rules and network economics.
At the same time, Seungik Yoon of Tiger Research argued that a customized L2 built on a proven network could accelerate tokenization efforts. For a company with a large existing user base and established financial products, time to deployment may matter almost as much as sovereignty. A Layer 2 path could offer a balance between control and speed, especially if regulation evolves quickly and market opportunities emerge before a greenfield L1 is production-ready.
Toss is entering a field that is becoming increasingly competitive in South Korea. Dunamu, the operator of crypto exchange Upbit, is developing Kiwachain, an Ethereum-based Layer 2 network. Meanwhile, Hashed is backing Maru, a Layer 1 project focused on KRW stablecoins. What differentiates Toss is not just its ambition but its distribution advantage: unlike many blockchain-native competitors, it already has a massive consumer-facing ecosystem that could support rapid adoption if on-chain services are integrated successfully.
Financial Strength and IPO Context
The company’s Web3 push also comes at a time of improving financial performance. Toss recorded its first profitable year in 2024, posting consolidated revenue of 1.956 trillion won, or about $1.4 billion, up 43% year over year. That performance gives the company more room to invest in long-term infrastructure projects that may not generate immediate returns.
According to the report, Toss is also targeting a U.S. public listing in 2026 at a valuation above $10 billion. If that goal remains on track, its blockchain initiative may be viewed not only as a product expansion but also as part of a larger strategic narrative for investors: a dominant Korean fintech platform preparing for the next stage of digital financial infrastructure.
The company is also said to be exploring partnerships with KB Financial and Samsung Card as part of its digital asset infrastructure plans, though neither company has publicly commented on those discussions. If such partnerships materialize, they could strengthen Toss’s ability to bridge traditional financial services with blockchain-based issuance, settlement, and user applications.
No Launch Date Yet, but Direction Is Clear
For now, Toss has not announced a release date for its blockchain network or disclosed technical specifications. The project remains under internal discussion, and its next phase depends on both regulatory clarity and the company’s final decision between an L1 and L2 architecture. Even so, several elements are already visible: a stablecoin task force is in place, trademark filings have been secured, blockchain hiring is underway, and a native Web3 wallet is being built into the core app.
Taken together, those steps suggest that Toss is not treating Web3 as a side experiment. Instead, it appears to be preparing a broader shift in which digital assets, programmable money, tokenized securities, and embedded wallets become part of a unified consumer finance platform. Whether that future runs on a proprietary Layer 1 or a tailored Layer 2, Toss is positioning itself to be one of the most closely watched mainstream fintech entrants in Asia’s evolving on-chain finance market.