LINE is a Japanese instant messenger app, produced by the eponymous corporation.
In Asia, the most popular instant messenger apps have evolved to become platforms in their own right. On these, users can play games, send money, shop and much more. WeChat in China is perhaps the most prominent and diverse example. Across the Sea of Japan, LINE offers a similar service.
The app was originally developed as an emergency solution for company (then known as NHN Japan) employees during the Tōhoku earthquake of 2011.
LINE as it is now offers much-expanded functionality compared to this practical beginning. Peer-to-peer payments, taxi rides, food delivery and online ordering, music streaming and comic book reading are all available from inside the messaging app.
And of course, there’s the actual messenger app, through which LINE users can send each other stickers. These cute illustrations, utilised as a visual language, have long been one of LINE’s key revenue drivers. These proved so popular that LINE even earned a fair chunk of revenue through merchandising and licensing deals for these characters.
In 2019, LINE shifted from a public company to a part of Z Holdings, which is a joint venture between SoftBank and Naver Corporation. Yahoo! Japan and PayPay are also part of the holding company, which is public on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
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Learn moreWe have collected data and statistics on LINE. Read on below to find out more.
LINE key statistics
- LINE generated $1.51 billion revenue in 2020, primarily from advertising
- LINE had a net loss of $411 million in 2020, lower than its $470 million net loss in 2019
- An estimated 224 million people use LINE once a month, with 86 million in Japan
- LINE users transacted almost $15 billion on the app in 2020
LINE overview
| Launch date | 11 June 2011 |
| HQ | Tokyo, Japan |
| People | Takeshi Idezawa (CEO) |
| Business type | Subsidiary |
| Owner | Z Holdings (SoftBank and Naver) |
| Industry | Communication |
LINE revenue
| Year | Revenue |
| 2012 | $59 million |
| 2013 | $393 million |
| 2014 | $811 million |
| 2015 | $1.09 billion |
| 2016 | $1.35 billion |
| 2017 | $1.52 billion |
| 2018 | $1.88 billion |
| 2019 | $2.06 billion |
| 2020 | $1.51 billion |
Source: Company data
LINE net income
| Year | Net income |
| 2016 | $65 million |
| 2017 | $75 million |
| 2018 | ($52 million) |
| 2019 | ($470 million) |
| 2020 | ($411 million) |
Note: Parentheses indicates loss
Source: Company data
LINE users
| Year | Users |
| 2014 | 83 million |
| 2015 | 121 million |
| 2016 | 143 million |
| 2017 | 169 million |
| 2018 | 164 million |
| 2019 | 164 million |
| 2020 | 169 million |
Note: LINE publishes MAU figures for its four largest markets (Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand), which account for approximately 2/3rds of LINE’s total MAUs
Source: Company data
LINE Pay transaction volume
| Year | Transaction volume |
| 2017 | $4.26 billion |
| 2018 | $9.71 billion |
| 2019 | $10.72 billion |
| 2020 | $14.96 billion |
Source: Company data
LINE Pay users
| Year | Users |
| 2018 | 2.64 million |
| 2019 | 7.41 million |
| 2020 | 5.59 million |
Source: Company data
LINE FAQ
How many users does LINE have worldwide?
We estimate LINE has 224 million users. 169 million are based in LINE’s four key markets: Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand
How many of LINE’s users access the app daily?
According to LINE, 80% of its MAUs are also DAUs
How many users does LINE have in the U.S.?
There were 3.15 million LINE users in the U.S. in September 2019
How many users does LINE Music have?
LINE had 11 million users as of June 2019, but has not updated that figure since (The Verge)
Who owns LINE?
LINE is part of Z Holdings, which also operates Yahoo! Japan and PayPay, which are leaders in their respective markets in Japan. Z Holdings is a 32.65% partnership between SoftBank and Naver Corporation
