South Korean retail giants withdraw from NFT sector amid market slowdown

As an analyst with a background in the tech and retail industries, I’ve closely followed the developments of South Korean retail giants Lotte and Hyundai exiting the NFT sector. Given my experience and understanding of the market dynamics, I believe this shift is a prudent business decision in response to the recent slowdown in the NFT market and regulatory uncertainty.


Large South Korean businesses such as Lotte and Hyundai are withdrawing from the non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, indicating a notable change in their digital business plans.

In response to a significant decrease in activity in the NFT market, these businesses have chosen to shift their strategies back towards their primary areas of expertise.

Based on reports from a South Korean news source, Lotte Home Shopping, which is the e-commerce branch of the large retail corporation Lotte, declared that they will be shutting down their NFT (Non-Fungible Token) shopping platform.

In May 2022, Lotte initiated its NFT services through the platform. Yet, after only two years, the company announced on June 12 that they would be closing down their NFT store operations, effective from July 2.

The metaverse platform, which is a new feature on the Lotte Home Shopping mobile app, was originally intended as part of the company’s plan to create such a platform.

Lotte’s NFT Shop stood out with its unique method of accepting South Korean Won (KRW) as the currency for transactions, making it more inclusive and convenient for those who don’t use cryptocurrencies.

The business broadened its Non-Fungible Token (NFT) collection by introducing new lines with its mascot Bellygom and partnering on initiatives with virtual influencer Lucy, as well as collaborating on projects related to the popular 2022 horror film “The Witch: Part 2. The Other One.”

Plans were in progress to facilitate secondary sales of NFTs on OpenSea, the leading NFT marketplace.

As a crypto investor, I’ve noticed that Lotte Home Shopping has recently announced its departure from the Non-Fungible Token (NFT) market. This means they are fully withdrawing their presence and involvement in this sector.

The Lotte Group’s crypto startup, Daehong Communications, will take over all remaining NFT business assets, including the Bellygom NFT.

Lotte is thrilled to share the news of our new alliance with the prominent Web3 brand, Pudgy Penguins (@pudgypenguins).

In an exciting development, Pudgy Penguins is broadening its reach into the WEB2 world.

Keep an eye out for our upcoming collaboration with Bellyland (@bellygom_nft) – coming soon with a penguin and bear twist! 🐧🐻

— daehong_official (@Daehongofficial) May 16, 2024

The Hyundai Department Store, like Lotte before it, is retreating from the NFT sector. Having entered this market in the same year with NFT wallet services, Hyundai provided customers with perks such as discounts and freebies. However, these offerings are no longer available as Hyundai decides to withdraw from the NFT industry.

As an industry analyst, I’ve observed that Shinsegae, a significant South Korean retailer, has noticeably scaled back its NFT (Non-Fungible Token) offerings. According to my sources within the industry, several retailers, including Shinsegae, have been actively participating in the NFT market but are now adjusting their strategies due to a decrease in market momentum.

“The insider revealed that instead of expanding into new markets, they are concentrating on enhancing the profitability and efficiency of their primary business sectors.”

As a market analyst, I’ve noticed a recent development where major retail companies have decided to withdraw from the NFT marketplace scene. This trend comes on the heels of South Korea expressing new views about Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).

As a crypto investor, I’ve noticed that our country’s financial regulatory body is considering the classification of certain Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) as virtual assets. This means that these specific NFTs could be subject to similar regulations as other digital assets in the market.

As a crypto investor, I would explain it this way: Starting from now, any business dealing with Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) categorized as virtual assets in South Korea is required to report these transactions to the relevant government authority.

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2024-06-13 14:30