Overview

LINE is a Japanese freeware messaging and social-networking service operated by LY Corporation, the Japanese technology company created through the integration of Line Corporation and Yahoo Japan. The service was launched in Japan in June 2011 by NHN Japan, a Japanese subsidiary of South Korean internet company Naver. Although its initial purpose was straightforward communication, LINE developed into a broad consumer platform combining text messaging, voice and video calls, group communication, stickers, social feeds, games, digital content, payments, shopping and other services. The product was conceived in the aftermath of the March 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The disaster demonstrated the vulnerability of conventional telephone and SMS networks, while data connections and some wireless internet access remained available. Naver executives and NHN Japan engineers therefore developed a smartphone- and computer-accessible service that could provide free, continuous messaging and internet calling. LINE’s free voice calls were particularly attractive in Japan, where carrier voice and SMS charges made internet communication economically appealing. Its Japanese localization, large marketing budget, expressive character stickers and easy contact-based communication helped it rapidly overtake competing services in the Japanese market. LINE grew from a mobile messenger into a platform. Home and Timeline functions introduced social-networking features; official channels allowed news organizations, brands and other institutions to distribute updates; and LINE Games connected users through mobile games and in-game social interactions. The company also introduced LINE Pay, a digital wallet and payment service; LINE Today, a news hub; LINE TV, video-on-demand offerings in selected markets; LINE Manga and LINE Webtoon, digital-comics services; LINE Shopping and LINE Gift; and service-specific products such as LINE Taxi and LINE Doctor. Availability and commercial scope have varied by country, and not every service has operated in every market. The brand’s most distinctive intellectual property is LINE Friends, a family of characters originally created for stickers. Stickers became both a communication format and a major commercial and licensing asset, incorporating original characters as well as collaborations and licensed entertainment properties. LINE also supported multiple operating systems, desktop clients and browser-based access, although particular versions and lower-specification products were later retired. The service reached major scale during the first half of the 2010s. It became Japan’s largest social network by the end of 2013 and achieved substantial adoption in Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia. It held initial public offerings in New York and Tokyo in 2016, but was delisted from both exchanges in December 2020 before its absorption into the Z Holdings structure. On 1 March 2021, Line Corporation was merged into the group controlled through SoftBank and Naver, with the resulting corporate structure operating LINE and Yahoo Japan. In 2023, LINE remained a central communication tool in Japan, including among older users, and by 2025 its monthly active users were reported at approximately 194 million, concentrated primarily in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia.

History

LINE emerged from Naver’s effort to compete in mobile communication. Naver had introduced Naver Talk in South Korea in February 2011, but KakaoTalk already had a strong position there. After the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, Naver co-founder Lee Hae-jin and engineers working in Japan saw how overloaded telephone and SMS systems had hindered communication. NHN Japan consequently accelerated development of a data-based messaging application that would operate across smartphones, tablets and computers and offer free text communication and internet calling. The application launched in June 2011 under the name LINE. It benefited from Japanese market knowledge, extensive promotion and a feature set suited to local telecommunications economics. Free voice calling, in particular, differentiated LINE from some early competitors. Rapid adoption produced a server overload in October 2011, forcing NHN Japan to improve its architecture and scalability. Naver Talk was folded into LINE in early 2012, consolidating the company’s messaging effort. In 2012, LINE added Home and Timeline, allowing users to publish updates and interact with contacts in a more social format. NHN Japan changed its name to Line Corporation in April 2013. The service passed 100 million users within roughly 18 months of launch and 200 million users several months later. By the end of 2013, it was Japan’s largest social network, with more than 300 million registered users worldwide. Reported user totals continued to grow during the middle of the decade, passing 400 million in 2014 and 600 million in 2015. The brand expanded beyond its core application. Its sticker marketplace made expressive character-based communication a central product category and supported the growth of LINE Friends. LINE Games used the social graph to connect players and distribute mobile titles. LINE Pay, introduced internationally in December 2014, added money transfers and payment functions. LINE Taxi, launched in Tokyo in 2015 with Nihon Kotsu, illustrated the super-app strategy, although that service was discontinued in 2018. News, video, shopping, gifting and digital-comics services further broadened the platform. LINE’s international expansion was uneven. It became especially strong in Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia, while adoption was less durable in some other countries. The application was successively offered on Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Nokia Asha, Windows Phone, Firefox OS, iPadOS, Windows and macOS. Security became an important issue as the service grew. Earlier versions faced criticism over communication security and account-access weaknesses; end-to-end encryption was enabled by default in 2016 and later extended to group chats and calls. Line Corporation held IPOs in New York and Tokyo in July 2016. It later pursued integration with Z Holdings, the parent structure associated with Yahoo Japan. The company delisted from both exchanges in December 2020, and the merger was completed on 1 March 2021. The post-merger group, later known as LY Corporation, continued operating LINE alongside Yahoo Japan. LINE remains a major communication platform in Japan and selected Asian markets, while its wider services have been adjusted over time through launches, acquisitions, partnerships and discontinuations.

2022
LINE Lite retired
[1]Line (software)en.wikipedia.org
The lightweight Android version is discontinued at the end of February.
2021
Integration with Z Holdings completed
[1]Line (software)en.wikipedia.org
SoftBank- and Naver-linked entities complete the merger of Line Corporation and Z Holdings on 1 March.
2020
Exchange delistings
[1]Line (software)en.wikipedia.org
Line Corporation delists from the NYSE and TSE before its absorption into Z Holdings.
2018
LINE Taxi discontinued
[1]Line (software)en.wikipedia.org
The Tokyo taxi-booking service ends on 31 August.
2016
Dual IPO
[1]Line (software)en.wikipedia.org
Line Corporation lists shares in New York and Tokyo and enables default end-to-end encryption for users.
2015
LINE Taxi launches in Tokyo
[1]Line (software)en.wikipedia.org
LINE and Nihon Kotsu introduce taxi booking and payment through the LINE application.
2014
LINE Pay launches
[1]Line (software)en.wikipedia.org
The platform introduces its payment and money-transfer service in December.
2013
Line Corporation established
[1]Line (software)en.wikipedia.org
NHN Japan changes its Japanese branch name to Line Corporation, while LINE becomes Japan’s largest social network by year-end.
2012
Home and Timeline introduced
[1]Line (software)en.wikipedia.org
LINE adds social publishing and contact-community features.
2011
LINE launches in Japan
[1]Line (software)en.wikipedia.org
NHN Japan launches LINE as a data-based messaging and internet-calling service in June.
2011
Early infrastructure expansion
[1]Line (software)en.wikipedia.org
Rapid adoption causes a server overload in October, leading NHN Japan to improve scalability.

Products and positioning

A highly localized Asian communication and entertainment platform that combines private messaging with social, content, commerce and payment services.

Messaging and social networking · 2011
LINE Messenger
The core LINE application supports one-to-one and group text messaging, photo and video sharing, audio messages, stickers, emojis, voice calls and video calls. It also includes social posting features, official channels and access to selected platform services. Group chats can support large communities, while desktop and tablet versions extend access beyond the primary mobile device.
Digital content · 2011
LINE Stickers
A marketplace and communication format built around large illustrated images used in chats. The catalogue includes LINE’s original characters, LINE Friends, licensed manga, anime, games and entertainment properties, seasonal releases and charity collections. Stickers function as both a personalization feature and a major licensing and creator-economy component of the brand.
Digital payments · 2014
LINE Pay
A payment and wallet service integrated into the LINE ecosystem. Depending on market, it has supported transfers between contacts, merchant payments, online purchases, point systems, bank-related transactions and ATM functions. Availability, regulation and operating arrangements differ across countries.
Mobile games · 2011
LINE Games
A games business and distribution platform connected to LINE accounts and social relationships. It has published or supported puzzle, simulation, role-playing, action and casual titles, allowing players to interact with contacts, exchange items or earn social rewards. Line Games acquired NextFloor in 2017 and has also worked with external developers and publishers.
News and media
LINE Today
A news-discovery hub integrated into the LINE environment. It aggregates or presents news and other editorial content through the application, extending LINE’s role from private communication into habitual information consumption.
Digital comics
LINE Manga and LINE Webtoon
Digital-comics services associated with the wider LINE ecosystem. They distribute serialized and collected comics through mobile and online platforms, linking LINE’s messaging audience to licensed and original entertainment content.
Mobility · 2015
LINE Taxi
A Tokyo taxi-booking service launched with Nihon Kotsu. Users could request a taxi within LINE and connect the booking to LINE Pay for automatic payment. The service competed with app-based ride-hailing and taxi platforms but was discontinued in August 2018.
Messaging application · 2015
LINE Lite
A lower-overhead Android client designed for emerging markets and less capable devices. It retained basic messaging and calling but omitted features such as themes and Timeline. LINE announced its retirement in January 2022, with service ending on 28 February 2022.

Controversies

2021
Contractor access to Japanese user data
Reports that Chinese engineers working for a Shanghai-based subcontractor could access data connected to Japanese users without adequate disclosure prompted a Japanese government investigation and criticism of LINE’s data-management and vendor-oversight practices.
Source
2016
Account-cloning and message interception concerns
A reported weakness involving cloned iPhone backups raised concerns that LINE accounts could be accessed from another device. The issue received significant public attention after private messages associated with Japanese celebrities were published in the press, although the alleged use of the weakness was not proven.
Source

Marketing campaigns

2016Support Kumamoto Charity Stickers
Japan
LINE released special stickers following the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes and directed proceeds to the Japanese Red Cross Society for disaster relief.
Outcome. Proceeds were designated for aid and support for earthquake victims.
Source

Brand decisions

2022
Retire LINE LiteOther
Background
The lightweight client had been maintained for users in emerging markets but offered a reduced feature set and created account and history-management limitations.
Action taken
LINE discontinued LINE Lite on 28 February 2022.
Aftermath
Users were directed toward the standard LINE application, subject to device and market availability.
Source
2020
Proceed with integration into Z HoldingsM&A
Background
Line Corporation and the Yahoo Japan-linked Z Holdings structure sought to combine their businesses under a SoftBank- and Naver-linked ownership arrangement.
Action taken
Line Corporation delisted from the NYSE and TSE and proceeded with an absorption-type merger completed in March 2021.
Aftermath
LINE became part of the group later known as LY Corporation and continued alongside Yahoo Japan.
Source
2016
Make end-to-end encryption the defaultStrategy
Background
Earlier versions of LINE had faced security criticism, while an opt-in encrypted-chat feature had been available since 2015.
Action taken
LINE enabled end-to-end encryption by default and subsequently extended it to group chats, voice calls and video calls.
Aftermath
The change strengthened the platform’s privacy posture, although later data-governance concerns focused on vendor access and disclosure rather than only message transport encryption.
Source

Recent events

2026-08-20
LINE launches message editing feature in LINE Labs free trial[3]LINE于LINE Labs推出「编辑讯息」免费试用功能setn.com
Reported: 2026-08-20
LINE announced on August 20 that new LINE Premium features will gradually open for free trial to all LINE users in LINE Labs, starting with a message editing feature that lets users modify sent text messages within a specified time without recalling them. After the free trial ends, the feature will become exclusive to LINE Premium members.
Unconfirmed
LINE CLOVA AI products localized for Taiwan[4]LINE CLOVA AI产品中文化落地台湾ithome.com.tw
LINE Taiwan announced updates to CLOVA OCR, CLOVA Chatbot and CLOVA Note, including Chinese-language localization for its CLOVA AI products in Taiwan. CLOVA Note was planned for launch later that year.
2021-10-30
LINE announces a LINE Pay device compatibility restriction[5]LINE公告LINE Pay装置相容性限制news.tvbs.com.tw
Reported: 2021-10-30
LINE announced that after its next update, LINE Pay would be unavailable on certain phones, including devices from Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO and vivo, because LINE and LINE Pay must be installed through the App Store or Play Store.
2021-10-20
LINE and NAVER begin MySmartStore trial operations in Japan[6]LINE与NAVER在日本启动MySmartStore试运营chinatimes.com
Reported: 2021-10-27
LINE and NAVER launched trial operations for MySmartStore in Japan on October 20, 2021, ahead of its planned official launch in spring 2022. NAVER provides the service, while LINE handles operations, business development, and marketing.
2021-09-07
LINE updates group chats and messaging features[7]LINE更新群组与聊天室功能bnext.com.tw
Reported: 2021-09-07
LINE updated its messaging service by combining group chats and multi-person chat rooms into a single group format and adding features including automatic joining, avatar insertion in photos and videos, and post-call quality ratings.
2021-06-23
LINE releases a 10th-anniversary animated theme[8]LINE推出十周年纪念动态主题setn.com
Reported: 2021-06-23
LINE released a new animated commemorative theme for its 10th anniversary, featuring Brown, Cony, the Moon characters and Edward celebrating together.
Unconfirmed
Nishitetsu begins LINE-based train-pass service[9]西铁推出基于LINE的车票服务fukuoka-now.com
Reported: 2021-02-18
Nishitetsu began a LINE-based service that lets customers purchase train passes without lining up at counters. The service also offers discount coupons for nearby cafes and shops.
Unconfirmed
Nishitetsu and LINE agree to develop digital services[9]西铁推出基于LINE的车票服务fukuoka-now.com
Reported: 2021-02-18
Nishitetsu and LINE reached a comprehensive agreement to develop more digital services for Nishitetsu's transportation and commercial facilities.
2021-02-04
Klook expands its partnership with LINE to offer bus bookings[10]KLOOK与LINE扩大合作并提供客运预订服务chinatimes.com
Reported: 2021-02-04
Klook announced an expanded collaboration with LINE in Taiwan, integrating Klook's bus-booking service into the LINE Travel homepage. LINE users can search and book more than 60 routes through the service.
2020-12-18
LINE Taiwan announces planned biometric login and system capacity upgrades[11]LINE台湾宣布计划导入生物辨识并升级系统承载能力setn.com
Reported: 2020-12-18
At its Taiwan developer conference, LINE announced plans to introduce biometric login and upgrade its system to handle greater traffic, with file and video transfers expected to become faster. The article describes these as future upgrades, not completed launches.

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