Kakao vs Snapchat

Investor Presentation Released: Kakao

AI parsed presentation narrative: Kakao is driving growth through its high-margin advertising business and expanding its AI-integrated ecosystem while simultaneously executing a significant efficiency-focused restructuring. The company is focusing on its core 'Talk Biz' advertising and commerce products to improve operating margins while navigating a period of traffic stabilization in its content divisions. Key tailwinds mentioned: Feed-based Advertising Adoption, Fintech and Mobility Growth.

Kaia: Merged Klaytn–Finschia EVM Layer‑1 for Developers

Kaia is an EVM-compatible Layer 1 blockchain formed in August 2024 by merging Klaytn (Kakao's chain) and Finschia (LINE's chain). Kaia uses BFT proof-of-stake consensus with ~1-second block times and immediate finality (no reorgs) and retains chain ID 8217. It exposes both the standard eth_* JSON-RPC namespace (recommended for Ethereum tooling) and the legacy klay_* namespace for Kaia-native features. A standout protocol feature is fee delegation, which lets a separate fee-payer account sponsor gas to enable gasless UX via Kaia-native transaction types built with the Kaia SDK. SwiftNodes provides a flat-rate Kaia RPC endpoint (HTTP + WebSocket) for developers to connect to the network.

• Kaia was formed in August 2024 by merging Klaytn and Finschia.
• Kaia mainnet uses chain ID 8217 (inherited from Klaytn).
• Consensus is BFT proof-of-stake with ~1-second block times and immediate finality (no reorgs).

Women athletes embrace creator playbook for income and growth

Women athletes are increasingly adopting creator strategies to supplement income and build their personal brands, driven by the growth of women's sports yet persistent pay gaps. Companies like Togethxr, co-founded by athletes, offer programs such as the Snap the Gap cohort with Snapchat, providing production resources and mentorship. Participants, including soccer player Michelle Alozie and gymnast Kyrstina Johnson, saw significant follower growth on Snapchat. This creator approach not only supports athletes during their careers but also prepares them for life after sports. The trend is supported by rising viewership and revenue in women's sports, with leagues like the PWHL and NWSL reporting increased YouTube engagement. Athletes also leverage social media to secure non-sport brand partnerships, as exemplified by Sarah Nurse's beauty content.

• Togethxr's Snap the Gap cohort with Snapchat helped seven women athletes grow their Snapchat audiences; Michelle Alozie grew 61% to 204,000 followers.
• Elite women's sports are projected to reach $3 billion in revenue in 2026, a 25% increase year-over-year (Deloitte).
• The PWHL reported a 77% year-over-year increase in YouTube viewership, and the NWSL reported 42%.

EU Plans Social Media Ban for Under-13s

The European Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen, is proposing regulations to ban children under 13 from major social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, with stricter age verification. The plan, to be formally presented soon, includes a gradual approach: 13-15 year olds would have supervised 'mini-accounts' limited to one hour daily, with full accounts allowed from age 15. Platforms must implement safer designs, such as preventing endless scrolling or autoplay videos, and face mandates on child safety certifications, default private accounts for minors, and restrictions on live streaming. German officials support the initiative, but experts highlight challenges in implementation and enforcement, including potential circumvention, impacts on fundamental rights, and competitive disadvantages for new platforms. The proposal requires approval from the European Parliament and member states, a process that may take months or years.

• EU Commission proposes banning children under 13 from social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.
• 13-15 year olds would have supervised 'mini-accounts' limited to one hour daily; full accounts only from age 15.
• Proposal includes requirements for safer design features, such as preventing endless scrolling and auto-play videos, plus bans on addictive designs.

Snapchat launches Commerce Power Pack with dynamic product ads

Snap Inc. has introduced the Commerce Power Pack, a suite of four new commerce tools for advertisers, ahead of the Black Friday and Christmas shopping season. The tools include Dynamic Product Ads in Sponsored Snaps, Value Optimization, Third Party Web Optimization, and Omnichannel Optimization. Dynamic Product Ads use AI-driven recommendations to showcase catalog products in chat. Value Optimization targets higher-value purchases, currently in beta. Third Party Web Optimization allows campaigns to optimize against external measurement partners like Google Analytics and Northbeam, showing significant performance gains in tests. Omnichannel Optimization, in alpha, enables simultaneous optimization of web and app conversions. Early results from Northbeam customers show a 20% reduction in customer acquisition costs on Snapchat.

• Snap launched four commerce tools: Dynamic Product Ads in Sponsored Snaps, Value Optimization, Third Party Web Optimization, and Omnichannel Optimization.
• Dynamic Product Ads are available globally, while Value Optimization is in beta and Omnichannel Optimization is in alpha.
• In internal tests, Dynamic Product Ads optimized for 'Pixel Purchase' improved 7-day CPA by 22%.