Esther Nguyen Targets Tokyo IPO for POPS Worldwide
Digital entertainment firm POPS Worldwide eyes expansion and a Tokyo Stock Exchange listing to scale its regional portfolio.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Pop
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Esther Nguyen is steering her digital entertainment company, POPS Worldwide, toward a future initial public offering on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The firm, which manages over 45,000 recordings, currently operates business hubs across Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia.
Why it matters
Nguyen founded the company in 2007 to address a lack of understanding regarding digital rights in the Vietnamese music industry. Her strategy now focuses on globalizing Southeast Asian music by blending cross-border content with local market offerings.
POPS Worldwide currently manages a portfolio of over 45,000 recordings and distributes content from major Japanese anime series including Naruto and One Piece. The company reached these current operations after significant Series D funding led by TV TOKYO in 2022.
The players
Esther Nguyen
Esther Nguyen is the founder of the digital entertainment firm POPS Worldwide.
POPS Worldwide
POPS Worldwide is a digital media company that produces, licenses, and distributes content across Southeast Asia.
TV TOKYO
TV TOKYO is a major Japanese television station that served as the lead investor for the company's 2022 fundraising round.
The details
POPS Worldwide monetizes content across social platforms by layering licensed media from Korea, the U.S., and Japan onto regional markets. The company continues to capitalize on Vietnam's government-backed push for cultural economic growth.
Timeline
1975: Nguyen's parents fled Vietnam.
2007: Esther Nguyen founded POPS Worldwide in Ho Chi Minh City.
2016: POPS entered the Thai market.
2020: POPS entered the Indonesian market.
January 2026: Vietnam government passed Resolution 80.
Industry Dynamics
POPS Worldwide is scaling its operations in alignment with regional government mandates like Vietnam's Resolution 80, which aims for the cultural economy to reach 7% of GDP by 2030. This push reflects a broader shift toward formalizing digital entertainment rights across Southeast Asia.
As the company scales its distribution of international anime and music, consumers can expect expanded access to cross-border digital content on major social platforms. The ongoing integration of Japanese and U.S. media into regional markets continues to broaden the library of available content.
The takeaway
The move toward a public listing marks a maturation of the digital content market in Southeast Asia. Investors and creators should watch for how regional firms leverage cross-border licensing to satisfy growing demand for diverse digital media.
What happens next
POPS Worldwide aims to reach profitability in 2027.
Further reading
For more on the evolving digital landscape in international music, visit the Pop section.
More information
Learn more about the industry discourse at the Southeast Asia 500 Summit registration.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fortune.
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