South Korea’s Lotte Group to utilize Arbitrum blockchain for its metaverse

South Korea’s Lotte Group has chosen the Arbitrum blockchain to enhance its AI-driven metaverse platform, Lotte Caliverse. The integration, announced during CES 2025, aims to leverage Arbitrum’s Ethereum Layer 2 network for its superior performance in virtual environments and gaming. Arbitrum’s 250ms block times make it an ideal platform for the immersive, high-quality experiences that Caliverse aims to offer.

Steven Goldfeder, CEO of Arbitrum developer Offchain Labs, highlighted that Arbitrum would provide a seamless and consumer-friendly experience, setting a new standard for blockchain interactions within virtual worlds. The platform, created in collaboration with gaming industry leaders like Epic Games, utilizes cutting-edge technologies such as Unreal Engine 5 to power its metaverse, which includes virtual shopping, live concerts, and interactive gaming experiences. These experiences feature high-profile entertainment, such as performances by K-Pop stars like NMIXX and DJ ALOK, and the newly announced “Caliverse: Invasion” gaming event.

The Lotte Caliverse platform incorporates brands from Lotte Group’s diverse portfolio, such as Lotte Duty-Free, Lotte HiMart, and Lotte Cinema, as well as globally recognized companies like Givenchy, MCM, and 7-Eleven. It even integrates major events like the Tomorrowland electronic music festival. Initially launched in August 2024, the platform will now integrate crypto payments through its partnership with Arbitrum, making it easier for users to interact with the metaverse using digital assets.

Lotte Group’s collaboration with Arbitrum, first announced last year, has further deepened, with Arbitrum becoming the primary blockchain infrastructure provider for Caliverse. As part of this partnership, Lotte Group is poised to receive what could be the largest-ever ARB token grant from the Arbitrum Foundation, though discussions are still ongoing.

Lotte’s interest in blockchain technology dates back to CES 2023, when it first unveiled its metaverse ambitions. It previously partnered with Ethereum sidechain Polygon to expand its NFT initiatives. This collaboration with Arbitrum marks another significant step in Lotte’s ongoing efforts to incorporate blockchain into its digital and metaverse strategies.

Arbitrum itself has been gaining momentum in the Web3 gaming space, with its $215 million funding program launched in June 2024 to support game developers. The blockchain currently supports over 100 games, with popular titles like CryptantCrab Prime, Zeeverse, and Overtime Markets contributing to its growing reputation in the gaming community.