Chiru Labs, the Web3 technology company behind popular NFT collections, Azuki and BEANZ, has announced during NFT NYC, a strategic partnership with digital intellectual property (IP) company IPX, formerly known as LINE FRIENDS. The partnership will bring together IPX’s character brands and Chiru Labs’ Web3 expertise to collaborate on content, merchandise, retail distribution, IRL activations, and more.

Announcing @_LINEFRIENDS (IPX) x @BEANZOfficial (Chiru Labs) pic.twitter.com/jpoWtLfFQZ

— Azuki (@Azuki) April 12, 2023

The LINE app, where the IP originates from as digital stickers, boasts over 84 million monthly active users and is one of the most popular messaging applications in countries like Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and Indonesia.

In the past IPX has collaborated with brands and groups like K-pop boy band BTS, Netflix, Starbucks, SUPERCELL, and McDonald’s — making this a significant collaboration for Azuki.

Chiru Labs has also achieved a significant level of success in its domain, being among the top five NFT projects to date, with its only apparent competitors being Yuga Labs IPs like Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks.

Leveraging each other’s strengths in the world of Web3 and IP, Chiru Labs and IPX will begin with the BEANZ and LINE FRIENDS IP, with the potential to expand to other IPs within their respective brands in the future.

“We are pleased to announce a new partnership between IPX and Chiru Labs, two companies that are both pioneering innovative business practices in the fields of character IP and web3 technology, respectively,” said Logan Cho, the Head of the Metaverse Business at IPX.

He added that “building on our successful partnership with global blockchain company CRIPCO last year, we plan to complement Chiru Labs’ IP with our multi-faceted character IP business strategy. Moreover, we are eager to unveil an expanded IP business that encompasses Web3, offering collaborative opportunities for both NFT holders and character IP enthusiasts alike.”

The brands are hopeful that their collaboration will not only bring new and exciting products to their fans but also further the evolution of IP in the Web3 community.

“We are excited to collaborate with IPX, who is a global leader in building innovative character IP brands beloved by millions of fans around the world. IP is evolving, and we see the Web3 community as an integral part of this next wave,” shared Zagabond, the founder and CEO of Chiru Labs, adding “we can’t wait to bring the world of BEANZ together with LINE FRIENDS.”

In other news, Cool Cats and Futureverse join forces to catapult Web3 innovation into the future.