South Korean metaverse platform ZEP has partnered with global Layer 1 platform NEAR Protocol as it plans to build on the platform. Designed for extensive user-oriented service operations, NEAR provides a user-friendly interface and stability akin to Web2.
Capitalising on these benefits, NEAR has experienced impressive growth among Layer 1 blockchains in 2023, with NEAR-based dApps securing the 1st and 2nd positions among blockchain applications, according to DappRadar.
ZEP, on the other hand, is a collaborative effort between mobile game developer Supercat, which unveiled its beta version on November 30th, 2021. Boasting 1.3 million monthly active users (MAU) and a cumulative user base of 8.3 million this year, ZEP has attracted interest from both domestic and international businesses and public institutions.
Expanding the ecosystem
Mark Mi, gaming director of NEAR Protocol said, “This collaboration with ZEP is a significant opportunity to expand the NEAR ecosystem into the new realm of the metaverse.” He added, “We will continue to strive to expose NEAR users to various content in different areas. Through collaboration with dApps in the content and gaming fields based on NEAR, we will assist ZEP’s business expansion in the Web3 domain.”
Having demonstrated its effectiveness in the domestic market, ZEP is set to expand into the Japanese and Southeast Asian markets in the latter half of the year as both NEAR Protocol and ZEP are seeking to investigate a business model that offers diverse benefits to users.
In addition, they intend to create Web3-related features that improve the convenience for both developers and users. Through this partnership, ZEP’s partners are expected to issue and distribute a range of Web3-based digital assets, enabling users to participate in a convenient Web3 experience within the ZEP metaverse environment.
Isa Muhammad is a writer and video game journalist covering many aspects of entertainment media including the film industry. He's steadily writing his way to the sharp end of journalism and enjoys staying informed. If he's not reading, playing video games or catching up on his favourite TV series, then he's probably writing about them.
