Webtoon (WBTN) Stock Surges 58% on Disney Partnership and Equity Stake

Shares of Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN) skyrocketed 58% in after-hours trading following news of a strategic partnership with The Walt Disney Company (DIS). The collaboration aims to launch a unified digital comics platform featuring over 35,000 titles from Marvel, Star Wars, Disney, and other franchises. Disney has also agreed to acquire a 2% equity stake in Webtoon, pending regulatory approvals.

The new platform will expand Marvel Unlimited’s existing subscription model, offering both traditional and smartphone-optimized vertical-scroll formats. Disney+ subscribers will gain complimentary access to curated comics through the Disney+ Perks program. Webtoon, backed by South Korea’s Naver Corp., pioneered the mobile-friendly vertical-scroll format that revolutionized digital comics consumption.