Naver-Toss POS Integration Dispute Clashes at Audit: Will FTC Investigate Self-Preferencing?
During the parliamentary audit, the clash over Naver's exclusion of Toss POS escalated as the Fair Trade Commission signaled a rigorous review of alleged self-preferencing and unfair discrimination.
Allegations surrounding the exclusion of Toss Place from Naver's offline store management platform, 'Place Plus,' were brought to the forefront during the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee audit. As the Fair Trade Commission announced it would closely scrutinize whether this constitutes self-preferencing or unfair discriminatory treatment abusing market dominance, the battle over payment and merchant data between Big Tech rivals is escalating into a regulatory dispute.
Toss Claims '150,000 Merchants Discriminated' vs Naver Claims 'Objective Standard Applied'
Appearing as a witness, Toss Place CEO Choi Jae-ho claimed that while 15 competing POS providers such as OKPOS and Payhere were integrated into Place Plus, Toss POS—used by 150,000 small merchants—was excluded without clear justification, harming small business marketing. In contrast, Naver refuted the claim, stating that the service only launched in June 2025 and operates under transparent, objective security and operational standards that sequentially onboard partners. The conflict is further complicated by prior disputes involving Naver filing police reports over Toss's search reward marketing practices.
Potential FTC Investigation and Impact on Merchant Ecosystem
FTC Chairperson Joo Byung-ki stated that the commission would thoroughly examine whether there were unfair discriminatory practices or self-preferencing by Naver. Under antitrust regulations, dominant platforms unfairly restricting access to essential infrastructure or merchant data can face corrective orders and substantial fines. Market observers anticipate this case could become a major precedent addressing closed data barriers and exclusivity in offline payment and merchant infrastructure.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. What is the core issue of the Naver-Toss POS dispute?
The primary issue is whether Naver unfairly barred Toss Place from its store management system 'Place Plus,' allegedly disadvantaging 150,000 merchants who use Toss POS from seamless search and review integrations.
Q2. What aspects will the Fair Trade Commission examine?
The FTC will inspect potential antitrust violations, focusing on whether Naver engaged in unjustified refusal to deal, self-preferencing, or discriminatory treatment against competitor services.
Q3. How does this affect merchants using Toss POS?
While merchants currently face inconvenience due to limited automation between Toss POS and Naver Place, regulatory scrutiny may prompt Naver to open up standardized integration channels across all certified POS platforms.