Lombard, a leading Bitcoin DeFi platform, has announced a strategic partnership with Story, a layer-1 blockchain designed to make intellectual property (IP) programmable, to integrate Bitcoin infrastructure directly into Story's protocol. This collaboration aims to address key issues in the creator economy, such as slow royalty payments and weak enforcement of licensing agreements, by leveraging Bitcoin's deep liquidity and trust as a foundational asset.
The partnership introduces two core innovations: Bitcoin Revenue Distribution and Crypto-Economic IP Security. Bitcoin Revenue Distribution enables creators to receive instant, borderless royalty payments in Bitcoin, eliminating months-long delays and intermediary cuts. Crypto-Economic IP Security uses Bitcoin as collateral to backstop licensing agreements, automating enforcement through smart contracts; if a licensee defaults, the collateral is liquidated to cover royalties, turning legal disputes into instantaneous settlements.
Story CEO and co-founder SY Lee emphasized the global impact, stating, "By integrating Lombard’s Bitcoin infrastructure, Story enables creators and developers to license, settle, and secure IP value instantly and globally. With Lombard, that value can now flow across the world as Bitcoin, the most trusted and durable digital asset." Lombard brings over $3 billion in previously idle Bitcoin liquidity to the table, with its flagship LBTC asset integrated across 14 chains and more than 75 DeFi protocols, achieving $1 billion in total value locked in just 92 days.
The alliance targets South Korea's $13.6 billion creative market, where Story has onboarded major IP partners like the webtoon sensation Solo Leveling and Barunson Studio, producer of the Oscar-winning film Parasite. Lombard's BARD token is already one of the most actively traded BitcoinFi assets on Korean exchanges Upbit and Bithumb, and a recent alliance with institutional custodian KODA provides compliant access for traditional finance.
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