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Figure Heloc Seoul Exchange, One of Only Two Licensed Platforms for Unlisted Securities, Will Exclusively Use Story to Settle Tokenized RWAs
Ryan Moore 
In a big step for Korea’s growing blockchain scene, Seoul Exchange one of only two licensed platforms in the country for trading unlisted securities has partnered with Story Protocol to bring real-world assets (RWAs) like K-pop royalties, film rights, and gaming IP fully on-chain. For the next three years, all of Seoul Exchange’s tokenized asset trading will run exclusively on Story’s Layer-1 blockchain, powered by its native token $IP.
Bringing Korea’s Cultural Power On-Chain
Korea’s creative exports from K-pop and K-dramas to webtoons and games have taken the world by storm. But while fans across the globe stream, watch, and sing along, the creators and producers behind those hits often see only a fraction of the long-term upside. This new partnership between Seoul Exchange and Story aims to change that.
By using Story’s blockchain, Seoul Exchange will make these cultural assets investable, transparent, and tradable. That means fans could soon own small pieces of the content they love from BLACKPINK and BTS music royalties to hit K-dramas and even gaming IP all while supporting the creators directly.
“Through this collaboration, Seoul Exchange has strengthened trust and transparency in building our STO exchange,” said JD Yang, CEO of Seoul Exchange. “We’re building a new kind of trading platform centered on IP and content something that can truly represent Korea’s creative economy.”
Turning IP Into a Real Asset Class
Story Protocol, backed by a16z, Polychain, and Samsung Ventures, is a blockchain designed specifically for intellectual property giving IP real financial value through tokenization. Its tech allows creators to register, license, and monetize their work directly on-chain, embedding royalties and usage rights into each tokenized asset.
With Seoul Exchange onboard, Story becomes the exclusive blockchain powering Korea’s tokenized IP market, creating a secure, compliant way for fans and investors to participate in the country’s booming creative industries.
“Korean culture is already a global force but most of the value flows to distributors and platforms,” said Seung-yoon “SY” Lee, Co-founder and CEO of Story Protocol. “Our goal is to bring that value back to creators and fans. Intellectual property is one of the world’s biggest untapped asset classes, and this partnership takes a major step toward unlocking it.”
From K-Pop to Patents Making Ownership Global
For the next three years, everything from music royalties and film rights to patents and private securities listed on Seoul Exchange will be registered and settled through Story’s blockchain. The platform is built to meet Korea’s regulatory standards, operating under the financial sandbox and even designed to integrate a Korean won-pegged stablecoin once approved by regulators.
The potential impact goes beyond just music and entertainment. Korea’s unlisted securities market is already one of the most active in Asia, and this partnership could make investing in tokenized IP as easy as buying crypto but with real cultural and financial value behind it.
Why It Matters
Korea’s crypto market is now the second largest in the world, and IP is quickly emerging as one of its most promising real-world asset categories. By working together, Seoul Exchange and Story are setting the foundation for a new kind of marketplace one where creators can fund their projects without losing ownership, and fans can literally invest in the stories and sounds they love.
As SY Lee put it, “This isn’t just about trading assets it’s about turning creativity into capital, and giving everyone a way to own a piece of the culture they believe in.”
With Seoul Exchange’s regulatory backing and Story’s blockchain tech, the partnership could reshape how cultural and financial value flow in Korea and maybe even set a global precedent for how the next wave of tokenized assets should look.
About the Author
David Rich 
John Wood 
Timothy Young