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Lootex operates as a comprehensive cross-chain NFT trading platform and ecosystem designed for digital assets, particularly within the web3 gaming space. The company provides an end-to-end solution for the creation, management, and trading of blockchain-based applications and digital collectibles. Its platform enables gamers to discover and seamlessly exchange game asset NFTs.
The company was founded in 2018 by David Tseng and Justine Lu, who brought extensive experience in both online gaming and blockchain technology to their venture. Their founding insight centered on the need for a transparent and player-centric environment to facilitate the exchange of digital assets, aiming to empower creators and users in the burgeoning metaverse.
Lootex primarily serves gamers and digital asset creators seeking to engage with the metaverse economy. The company's long-term vision is to establish itself as a pivotal one-stop shop, unlocking the full potential of metaverse gaming and fostering a robust, transparent marketplace for all forms of digital ownership.
Lootex has raised $9.0M across 1 funding round.
Lootex has raised $9.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Lootex has raised $9.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $9.0M Seed in January 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2022 | $9M Seed | — | Animoca Brands, Crowberry Capital, Hive Ventures, Infinity Ventures Crypto, Maki.vc, Play Ventures, Anton Gauffin, Riccardo Zacconi | Announced |
Lootex has raised $9.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Lootex's investors include Animoca Brands, Crowberry Capital, HIVE Ventures, Infinity Ventures Crypto, Maki.vc, Play Ventures, Anton Gauffin, Riccardo Zacconi.
# Lootex: High-Level Overview
Lootex is a gaming-focused NFT marketplace and blockchain infrastructure platform that enables players, developers, and creators to trade, mint, and manage digital assets across multiple blockchain networks[1][2]. Founded in 2018 and based in Taiwan, the company operates a decentralized marketplace serving approximately 80,000 monthly active users worldwide, with over 12,000 NFTs listed on its platform[1]. The company's core mission is to liberate digital asset ownership from centralized game publishers and return control to players, inspired by the vision outlined in the film "Ready Player One"[3].
Lootex addresses a critical pain point in gaming: the loss of player investments when game servers shut down. By building on blockchain technology, the platform enables players to own, trade, and transfer in-game assets across multiple games and platforms. The company has evolved beyond a simple marketplace into a comprehensive product ecosystem that includes developer tools (Lootex Plus), creator-focused NFT management (Lootex Studio), and consumer-facing trading platforms, alongside emerging ventures like Tiltplay, a skill-based gaming platform on Telegram and LINE[5].
# Origin Story
Lootex was founded in 2018 by David Tseng and Justine Lu, both veterans of the gaming and blockchain industries[3]. Tseng brings experience in decentralized app development and startup founding, while Lu has held multiple brand marketing director roles in the game industry[2]. The founding team, now supported by 22 core members, consists entirely of game industry veterans who understand player needs from firsthand experience[3]. The company's name itself—"Loot + Exchange"—reflects its foundational purpose: creating a marketplace for in-game digital assets.
The company achieved early traction and validation from the investment community. In January 2022, Lootex secured $9 million in seed round funding[1], demonstrating investor confidence in the gaming NFT sector during a period of significant growth in blockchain gaming adoption.
# Core Differentiators
# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
Lootex operates at the intersection of three major trends: the maturation of blockchain gaming, the demand for interoperable digital assets, and the shift toward player-owned economies. During a single week in January 2022, the top 10 blockchain games processed over $841 million in transaction volume and attracted more than 2 million unique active cryptocurrency wallets[2]. Simultaneously, over 75% of online gamers have expressed interest in exchanging virtual assets for currency usable across multiple platforms[2]—a demand that centralized game publishers have historically resisted.
The company's timing is strategic. As blockchain gaming moves beyond speculative trading toward genuine gameplay experiences, infrastructure providers like Lootex become essential. By positioning itself as a neutral, cross-chain marketplace rather than a game publisher, Lootex can serve the entire gaming ecosystem—developers, IP owners, gaming companies, and content agencies—creating network effects that strengthen with each new game integration[2].
# Quick Take & Future Outlook
Lootex is well-positioned to become a foundational layer in the gaming metaverse, similar to how app stores became essential infrastructure for mobile gaming. The company's evolution from marketplace to comprehensive platform-as-a-service (through Lootex Plus and Lootex Studio) suggests ambitions to capture value across the entire NFT creation and trading lifecycle.
The path forward hinges on three factors: continued adoption of blockchain gaming by mainstream players, successful execution of its DAO transition and $LOOT token launch, and the ability to maintain neutrality and interoperability as major gaming publishers increasingly develop their own NFT ecosystems. If Lootex can establish itself as the default infrastructure layer for cross-game asset trading—much as Uniswap did for decentralized token exchange—it could become a critical piece of the emerging player-owned gaming economy.
