Yahoo-Line operator plans acquisitions in quest to be Asian superapp

SoftBank-backed platform will expand from 'beachheads' in Thailand and Taiwan

20210302N Crazy old phone man in Taiwan

A Taiwanese man on one of his 15 mobile phone in New Taipei City, Taiwan, where Line is already well established.  © Reuters

MASAHARU BAN and TSUBASA SURUGA, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO -- Popular chat app Line will expand in Asia by tailoring the platform to the demands of each market, the joint chief executives of the newly merged parent company told Nikkei in an interview Tuesday, making local hires and acquisitions in order to achieve this.

Z Holdings, the SoftBank Group unit that operates Yahoo Japan, completed its consolidation with Line on Monday, announcing plans to invest 500 billion yen ($4.7 billion) over five years to upgrade online services.

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