Chiliz CEO Touts Korea as Key Growth Market, Names Tokenpost Validator at 'IXO™ Season 3' Web3 Conference

Alexandre Dreyfus, CEO of blockchain-based fan engagement platform Chiliz, said on Tuesday that South Korea remains a central pillar of the company’s global growth strategy, highlighting new and continued partnerships during a keynote speech at the IXO™ Season 3 Web3 Roadshow Conference in Seoul.

Speaking at the event hosted at the Gangnam Textile Center, Dreyfus underscored Chiliz’s ongoing collaborations with the K League, the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA), and tech platform Naver Pay wallet. He also confirmed that Korean blockchain media outlet Tokenpost has joined the Chiliz Chain as a validator, marking the company’s second Korean validator after the K League.

“South Korea is one of the most connected and digitally engaged markets in Asia. It plays a crucial role in our vision to build a real-world blockchain application ecosystem,” Dreyfus said.

Chiliz, best known for its fan token platform Socios.com, has partnered with more than 70 global sports entities, including FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City. In Korea, it has introduced blockchain-backed services such as match-used ball auctions for the K League and NFT-based ticketing for KLPGA tournaments.

Dreyfus highlighted that Chiliz is the only blockchain project integrated into the Naver Pay wallet, with over 200,000 users minting NFTs tied to exclusive fan rewards. “This shows that blockchain adoption in Korea is already happening at scale,” he said.

In addition to strengthening its presence in Asia, Chiliz plans to resume operations in the United States by the end of the year, after halting activities due to the collapse of FTX. Dreyfus cited recent fan token daily trading volumes exceeding $100 million as evidence of market momentum.

He said the new partnership with Tokenpost would go beyond node operations. “We’re planning broader collaborations in Korea’s entertainment sector, including potential projects with K-pop idols,” he said, referring to a push to expand blockchain use cases beyond sports.

Tokenpost CEO David Kim described the validator partnership as part of the company’s ongoing blockchain innovation initiative, Tokenpost Labs. “We see this as a strategic opportunity to connect Korea’s vibrant content industry with global crypto infrastructure,” he said in a statement.

The IXO™ Season 3 event, co-hosted by Tokenpost and Coinreaders, was organized under the theme “Proof of Business,” focusing on Web3 projects with real-world utility and active user bases. The two-day conference featured panel sessions with investors, DAO operators, and developers, as well as live demonstrations of decentralized technologies.

The validator announcement follows a similar move earlier this year, when blockchain media outlet Cointelegraph joined the Chiliz Chain as a validator as part of its decentralization initiative. Other existing validators include PSG, OKX, and Animoca Brands.

Chiliz said it will continue to onboard strategic partners globally to support governance, scalability, and transparency across its chain infrastructure.