WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. 8-K

What Happened

• On January 8, 2026, WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. (WBTN) entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Disney purchased 2,666,757 shares of WEBTOON common stock for a total of $32,774,443.53 (about $12.29 per share), representing roughly a 2% equity stake. The shares were issued in a private placement relying on Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
• On the same date, WEBTOON and Disney signed a definitive agreement to develop an all-new digital comics platform. The company had previously disclosed a non-binding term sheet covering this collaboration and Disney’s proposed minority investment.

Key Details

• Date: January 8, 2026 (8-K filed)
• Shares issued: 2,666,757 common shares; aggregate purchase price $32,774,443.53 (~$12.29/share)
• Stake: approximately 2% equity interest
• Deal terms: private placement under Section 4(a)(2); Disney granted certain approval rights over corporate actions that would adversely affect Disney or its affiliates and matching transfer/sale rights on the same terms as NAVER Corporation or LY Corporation

Why It Matters

• Strategic partnership: A definitive agreement with Disney to build a new digital comics platform could expand distribution, content opportunities, and potential revenue channels for WEBTOON.
• Ownership and governance: Disney’s ~2% stake is modest economically but includes specific rights (approval for certain actions and transfer rights) that could affect corporate decisions and future share transfers.
• Transaction type: The shares were sold in a private placement (unregistered), so this was not a public offering; investors should watch for future disclosures about the platform development, commercialization plans, or any further equity transactions.