Japan's Bandai Namco Holdings acquired a 42.1% stake in POPS KK and aims to expand its influence in the Southeast Asian market. The acquisition was reportedly confirmed as completed on 10 November, and POPS's domestic and international expansion is expected to accelerate.
Japan's leading entertainment company Bandai Namco Holdings confirmed the completion of its acquisition of a 42.1% stake in POPS KK, which operates digital entertainment primarily in the Vietnamese market. Although the transaction value has not been disclosed, the deal indicates growing interest from overseas partners in Southeast Asia's digital content market. POPS KK was established in April 2024 with Tokyo as its headquarters, and its CEO is Esther Nguyen.
POPS has a distribution-channel network centered on YouTube and has established strong recognition in Vietnam through content including Japanese-dubbed episodes of Doraemon and Detective Conan. POPS Kids became the world's first YouTube platform to distribute Vietnamese-dubbed episodes of Doraemon, and currently has approximately 5,200 videos and approximately 20.3 million subscribers. POPS Anime also serves as a distributor of Detective Conan. In September 2024, it introduced a premium offering for paid members and announced its release schedule for new episodes.
According to financial information from the Japanese side, the POPS network has a copyright library of more than 73,000 songs and a network connecting more than 53,000 creators and influencers. Bandai Namco positions the investment as part of its CW360 strategy and is looking to the growth potential of Southeast Asia's intellectual property, products and services markets. Revenue for the six months from April to September 2026 was reported at approximately VND124 trillion, profit at approximately VND16.9 trillion and total assets at approximately VND220 trillion, indicating a policy of pursuing long-term expansion in light of growth opportunities in the region.