Kbank

What Kbank does

Kbank (케이뱅크) is South Korea's first internet-only bank, founded in 2016 and operating since April 2017 with a 100% non-face-to-face, mobile-first model. The bank serves more than 16 million retail customers as of Q1 2026, anchored by its exclusive real-name-account banking partnership with Upbit (Korea's largest cryptocurrency exchange)—an arrangement that accounts for approximately 24% of Kbank's 30.4 trillion KRW deposit balance as of Q3 2025. The product surface spans deposits (savings, fixed deposits, kids/teen accounts, gamified parking products), loans (HF-backed mortgages, jeonse deposit loans, unsecured credit lines, SOHO real-estate mortgages, and sub-prime Sunshine loans), cards (own check cards plus a third-party credit-card marketplace), remittance to 70 countries, FX via Hana Bank, investments (US Treasuries, integrated brokerage accounts at six Korean securities firms, KRX gold, and crypto collecting), and AI-powered SOHO services including tax consultation, credit management, and government policy-fund matching.

The technology stack is partnership-led: Kbank deploys Ripple Custody's wallet-as-a-service for institutional multi-blockchain custody, integrates KCB and NICE dual-bureau credit scoring, embeds Biznav SeNa's AI tax consultation engine, and participates in Chainlink's Project Pangea consortium for stablecoin-based FX settlement. The bank filed 13 stablecoin wallet trademarks with KIPRIS in February 2026 ahead of South Korea's anticipated Digital Asset Basic Act and operates the only internet-only-bank-owned ATM network in Korea (45 Seoul subway stations, up from 5 in November 2024). IT spending of 187.6 billion KRW in 2025 (~17% of interest income, up 17.5% YoY) is approximately 3x KakaoBank's ratio.

Kbank's revenue model is dominated by net interest income from loans (mortgage, jeonse, credit, SOHO), supplemented by transaction fees (FX spreads, remittance, ATM, card interchange), sales commissions on third-party brokerage and investment products intermediated in-app, and warranty fees on HF Jeonse Guarantee sales. Customer acquisition is anchored in the Upbit partnership and gamified retail products (ALPHA teen accounts, ChallengeBox, MoneyTree), while SOHO and sub-prime borrowers are served through partnerships with Korea Inclusive Finance Agency, Korea Housing Finance Corporation, KOSMES, and Seoul Metropolitan Government. Kbank completed a 498 billion KRW ($337M) KOSPI IPO on March 5, 2026 (third attempt) and is planning a further ~1.2 trillion KRW capital increase with MBK Partners, Bain Capital, and other investors.

Name

Kbank

Legal name

Kbank Co., Ltd. (주식회사 케이뱅크)

Website

https://kbanknow.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Kbank is South Korea's first internet-only bank, serving 16M+ retail customers via a mobile-first platform with deposits, loans, cards, FX, remittance, investments, and AI-powered SOHO services, anchored by its exclusive Upbit banking partnership and a digital-asset roadmap via Ripple and BPMG.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Retail Banking

NAICS

Savings Institutions and Other Depository Credit Intermediation (52218)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Embedded Deposit Accounts & Digital Wallet Infrastructure (FSAGALAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tokenized Bank Deposit & Commercial Bank Money Issuers (FSADADAB)

Keywords

• Internet-only banking
• Digital retail banking
• Mobile banking services
• Online deposits lending
• Virtual asset custody

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Net interest income (loans): Primary revenue driver — interest income from mortgage loans (apartment mortgage up to 1B KRW, jeonse deposit loans up to 444M KRW, SOHO real-estate mortgage up to 1B KRW), credit loans (5.05%–15.00% p.a.), and sub-prime sunshine loan (5.40%–12.50%). Kbank's IT spending represents ~17% of interest income — significantly higher than peers. Kbank reported its first annual net profit in 2021 (25.5B KRW) and reached 30T KRW deposit+loan balance in 2023.
2. Foreign exchange spread (환전): Currency exchange revenue through the Hana Bank-powered exchange wallet service; offers up to 90% FX spread benefit on USD, 80% on JPY/EUR, 30% on other currencies; daily cap 1M KRW.
3. Cross-border remittance fees: Overseas account remittance flat fee 3,500 KRW per transaction; MoneyGram remittance fee USD 4; 70 destination countries; supported via overseas-account, MoneyGram, mobile wallet, and door-to-door delivery channels.
4. Card payment interchange and cash withdrawal fees: Revenue from credit card (LOCA LIKIT, Hyundai Card D, etc.) and check card (ONE K-Pass, Plus, KT Membership, Moim) interchange; ATM transaction fees after monthly 30 free uses (Kbank-branded ATM free, bank-network ATM 700-1,250 KRW, other VAN 1,500 KRW); SMS notification 900 KRW/month or 20 KRW per event.
5. Sales commissions on third-party investment products (BaaS / brokerage): Sales commissions for brokerage account openings with partner securities firms (Mirae Asset, Hana Securities, Korea Investment & Securities, Samsung Securities, NH Investment, KB Securities) and on US Treasury bonds intermediated via Korea Investment & Securities; intermediation on stocks, gold (KRX), and virtual assets.
6. Warranty/guarantee fee income (HF Jeonse Guarantee sales): Commission from acting as sales agent for Korea Housing Finance Corporation's HF Jeonse Guarantee product; pre-discount guarantee fee applied automatically.
7. Service fees — tax refund, BaaS referrals, SOHO services: Tax refund intermediation via 3o3 service, AI tax consultation (free), comprehensive income tax refund (paid at refund application), policy fund matching and credit report subscriptions for SOHO owners.
8. Equity capital (IPO + capital raise): Kbank raised 498 billion KRW ($337M) via KOSPI IPO on March 5, 2026 at 8,300 KRW per share; planning ~1.2 trillion KRW capital increase (~192.29 million shares) with participation from MBK Partners, Bain Capital and other investors. Proceeds earmarked for SME loans, banking technology, and digital-asset investments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Core offering

Kbank is South Korea's first internet-only bank, operating entirely through a mobile app and website with no physical branches. It provides a full suite of retail banking services — deposits, savings, secured and unsecured loans, debit and credit card distribution, foreign currency exchange, overseas remittance, brokerage account integration, US Treasury bonds, and digital-asset/crypto services — plus a dedicated SOHO (small business) lending suite and stablecoin/cross-border remittance infrastructure built on Ripple Custody and BPMG/Kasikornbank partnerships.

Product overview

Kbank (케이뱅크) is South Korea's first internet-only bank (KOSPI-listed on March 5, 2026) and operates a single unified digital-banking platform composed of tightly integrated customer-facing modules rather than separate standalone products. At its core sits the 플랫폼 of customer accounts — 생활통장 (Life Account), 사장님통장 (Business Owner Account), 모임통장 (Group Account), 마이키즈 통장 (My Kids Account), 알파통장 (Alpha teen Account), and 중진공 정책자금 전용통장 (KOSMES Policy Fund Account) — supported by the deposit universe (코드K 정기예금, 코드K 자유적금, 주거래우대 자유적금, 마이키즈 적금, 데굴데굴 농장, 챌린지박스, 궁금한 적금, plus parking/demand products 플러스박스 and 기분통장). The loan module spans mortgages (아낌e보금자리론 via HF, 아파트담보대출, 전월세보증금 대출), secured personal loans (예금·적금 담보대출), unsecured personal credit lines (신용대출 / 신용대출 갈아타기 / 햇살론), and an end-to-end SOHO lending suite (사장님대출 맞춤조회, 사장님대출 갈아타기, 사장님 부동산 담보대출, 서울시 안심통장). The card module bundles proprietary debit/check cards (ONE 체크카드 K-패스, 플러스 체크카드, KT멤버십 더블혜택 체크카드, 모임 체크카드, 케이뱅크 알파카드) and a third-party credit-card distribution marketplace (KB 국민 톡톡 with Kbank, LOCA LIKIT, 현대카드 D, etc.). The service module layers lifestyle, asset-management, and AI-driven features — 해외송금, 환전 (via Hana Bank 환전지갑), 전셋집 안심스캔, HF전세지킴보증, 우리집 변동알림, 거래처 정보조회, 사장님 경영컨설팅, 맞춤 정책자금 받기, 사장님 신용리포트, AI 세무상담 (Biznav SeNa), 종합소득세 돌려받기, 세금 환급 받기, 내 신용관리 (KCB + NICE), 내 DSR 계산기, AI 퀴즈 챌린지, and the cash-flow / spending-audit / coupon / virtual-currency tools. The investment module distributes US Treasury Bonds, 연금저축계좌, 주식 모으기, 금(KRX) 투자, 가상자산 모으기 (via Upbit), and integrated brokerage account opening for 미래에셋증권, 하나증권, 한국투자증권, 삼성증권, NH투자증권, and KB증권. On the digital-asset frontier, Kbank deployed Ripple Custody wallet-as-a-service in April 2026, signed MOUs with BPMG, Kasikornbank, and Orbix for blockchain cross-border remittance, and filed trademark suites (KSC Wallet, KSTA Wallet, Kstable Wallet, Kbank SC Wallet) ahead of stablecoin launches. Real estate, fintech, and telecom partners (HF, KOSMES, 서울시, 서민금융진흥원, Kakao/PASS, NICE평가정보, KCB, Biznav, 밀리의서재, and Upbit) are integrated into the Kbank product experience rather than offered as separate applications, and the platform also extends into BaaS-grade B2B infrastructure projects (AI Data Center, SME lending system, Process Automation platform).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Life Account (생활통장) Flagship demand deposit account with 0.10% rate, free transfers and ATM withdrawals (30 free/month), up to 20,000 KRW monthly cashback coupon, and pickable monthly check card benefit for individual retail customers.
• CodeK Fixed Deposit (코드K 정기예금) Unconditional no-tier fixed deposit with 3.41% base rate (1 year), unlimited principal, 1–36 month term, interest-rate-bump guarantee, and up to 2 partial withdrawals for retail savers.
• My Kids Savings (마이키즈 적금) Children's savings plan with up to 8.50% (pre-tax, 5-year) maximum rate, 3.50% base, monthly contributions up to 300,000 KRW, 1–5 year terms, auto re-subscription until age 17, and joint parent/child management.
• Kbank ALPHA Teen Account (알파통장) ID-free teen account for ages 14–18 with 500,000 KRW balance cap, phone-number-only transfers, daily mission rewards, and ATM/transit card support via the Alpha Card.
• Apartment Mortgage Loan (아파트담보대출) Direct apartment mortgage for purchase, refinance, living-cost or return-fund purposes, 3.91%–8.65% APR, up to 1B KRW (6B KRW in Seoul metro), with non-face-to-face execution and bundled notarial services for retail borrowers.
• Ankkeum e Bogumjari Loan (아낌e보금자리론) Long-term fixed-rate mortgage (3.60%–4.90% APR) originated through Korea Housing Finance Corporation (HF), up to 420M KRW, with non-face-to-face execution and bundled contract-notary services for retail home buyers.
• Jeonse Deposit Loan (전월세보증금대출) Rental-deposit secured loan with 3.52%–6.43% APR, up to 440M KRW, three product variants (fixed rate, no-home, young), refinancing option, and documentless pre-screening for tenants.
• Credit Loan Family (신용대출) Multi-option personal credit line including Credit Loan, Plus, Minus Overdraft, Emergency Loan, Sunshine Loan, and Joint Loan; 5.05%–15.00% APR, up to 300M KRW, no early-repayment fees, fully documentless via Kbank simple certificate for individual borrowers.
• Sunshine Loan (햇살론) Subsidized Tier-1 credit loan for low-credit borrowers under Korea Inclusive Finance Agency guarantee; 5.40%–12.50% APR, up to 15M KRW, end-to-end digital process via the Kbank app.
• SOHO Real Estate Mortgage Loan (사장님 부동산 담보대출) Non-face-to-face business-purpose mortgage up to 85% of appraisal value, up to 1B KRW total (500M KRW per tranche), 3.17%–9.33% APR, including a refinancing feature for small business owners.
• Seoul City Safe Account (서울시 안심통장) Seoul City-guaranteed overdraft loan for SOHO operators, up to 10M KRW, 4.92% (3-month variable) rate, with 50% guarantee-fee subsidy and up to 3M KRW mutual-support event benefit.
• Business Owner Account (사장님통장) SOHO business demand account with 0.10% (pre-tax) rate, free transfers + 30 free monthly ATM withdrawals, cash and cashback rewards, and optional Plus Box linkage for up to 2.20% interest on idle funds for self-employed business owners.
• ONE Check Card (K-Pass) (원 체크카드 K-패스) Pick-your-own cashback check card bundled with K-Pass transit: 1 of 3 cashback benefits per month, 3,000 KRW transit bonus on 50K+ transit spend, plus unlimited up-to-10% KakaoTalk-friend cashback for retail users.
• Plus Check Card (플러스 체크카드) No-prior-spend-condition 0.3% unlimited cashback on every domestic/international merchant, plus 3% special cashback at grocery, food delivery, travel/golf, gas, and department-store merchants, with auto-registration to Korean mobile Pay services.
• Credit Card Marketplace (신용카드) Distribution marketplace featuring co-branded and partner credit cards from Shinhan, KB Kookmin, Hyundai, Samsung, Lotte, BC, NH, Hana, Woori and Kbank co-brands (e.g., KB Kookmin Tok-Tok with Kbank, Kbank Shinhan Play, LOCA LIKIT 1.5/2.0, Hyundai Card D, NH Climate Action, KB YOU Prime).
• Overseas Remittance (해외송금) International remittance to 70 countries from 3,500 KRW per account transfer (4,000 KRW flat for SWIFT/ACH from Dec 2025), with MoneyGram pickup option (USD 4 fee), and four delivery methods: cash pickup in 10 min, mobile wallet, home delivery, and account deposit.
• Currency Exchange / FX Wallet (환전) Hana Bank-powered foreign-currency exchange with up to 90% rate spread discount (USD 90%, JPY/EUR 80%, others 30%), 24/7 application, same-day pickup at Hana Bank branches and Incheon Airport terminals, and a 1M KRW/day cap for retail users.
• HF Jeonse Guarantee (HF전세지킴보증) Housing Finance Credit Guarantee Fund (HF) jeonse deposit-protection guarantee sold by Kbank as delegated sales agent; cheapest fees in market, documentless premium discount, and automatic return-process guidance at jeonse expiry for tenants and landlords.
• US Treasury Bonds (미국 국채) US Treasury bond product brokered through Korea Investment & Securities. Example: 23-year 1-month maturity, 7.75% (pre-tax) yield, AA+ credit, 1.250% coupon, $100 minimum, 90% exchange-fee discount for retail investors.
• Virtual Asset Collecting (가상자산 모으기) Scheduled investing in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP (10K KRW – 3M KRW) operated by Upbit within the Kbank app, with daily/weekly/monthly cycles for retail crypto investors.
• Stock Collecting (주식 모으기) Micro-investing in domestic/foreign stocks and ETFs from 100 KRW (domestic) or 1,000 KRW (foreign), with daily/weekly/monthly schedules via NH Investment & Securities for retail investors.
• KRX Gold Investing (금(KRX) 투자) 1-gram unit physical gold investment on the Korea Exchange (KRX) via NH Investment & Securities, with 99.99% purity (KOMSCO-certified), VAT-exempt gains, and safe custody by Korea Securities Depository for retail investors.
• Ripple Custody Digital Asset Wallet Infrastructure Institutional-grade digital asset wallet-as-a-service deployed on Ripple Custody, supporting multi-blockchain asset management and stablecoin-based remittance. Kbank is the first Korean internet-only bank to adopt the solution.
• Corporate Banking App (기업뱅킹 App) Dedicated mobile corporate-banking application for SOHO and SME customers, with policy-fund account management, counterparty risk tools, AI tax consultation, and SOHO loan origination features.

Quantifiable outcome

• Customer base growth from ~2M (2020) to 15-16M (end-2024/2025) — 7-8x increase
• +9 more outcomes

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration31 records

AI capability18 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

34 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Chainlink (Project Pangea)coreTechnology or Integration · 24 June 2026Consortium member in Project Pangea — a multi-bank initiative for near-real-time EUR-to-KRW FX settlement using regulated stablecoins. Uses Chainlink's decentralized oracle network for atomic Payment-versus-Payment stablecoin swaps (no XRP), targeting the US$9.6 trillion daily FX market.
• UniKA (Unified Korea Alliance)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Coordinates Korean participants in Project Pangea (Chainlink FX settlement consortium) — alongside Shinhan Bank, JB Bank, FairSquareLab, and OBDIA, with 10+ additional Korean commercial banks.
• Gwangju BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Strategic marketing partnership to expand financial support for low-to-medium credit borrowers. Will develop customized joint loan products combining Kbank's nationwide digital platform with Gwangju Bank's regional expertise. Positioned as a new cooperative financial model for inclusive finance.
• RippleflagshipTechnology or Integration · 29 April 2026Strategic partnership for institutional-grade digital asset wallet infrastructure via Ripple Custody (wallet-as-a-service). Enables Kbank to manage digital assets across multiple blockchains without building proprietary custody, supporting expansion into stablecoin-based remittance. Marked as a benchmark for regulated financial institutions building institutional digital-asset capabilities in Korea.
• Ripple (Palisade)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2026Strategic partnership signed at Kbank Seoul HQ to test blockchain-based cross-border remittance. Multi-phase proof-of-concept using Ripple's Palisade SaaS wallet — Phase 1 (wallet app-based remittance) complete; Phase 2 testing onchain transfers to UAE and Thailand. Settlements use stablecoins rather than XRP. Expansion to live services contingent on Korea's Digital Asset Basic Act.
• BPMGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 March 2026Strategic MOU to develop a Korean-won-based stablecoin and build cross-border remittance infrastructure. Initial PoC conducted for overseas remittances. Co-developing AI-powered Web3 financial services (personalized AI agents for investment suggestions). Plans to establish a digital-asset payment system linking South Korea, Thailand, and the UAE.
• Kasikornbank (Thailand)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2026MOU signed at The Athenee Hotel in Bangkok for blockchain-based cross-border remittance and payment services between South Korea and Thailand. Targets legal Thai workers in Korea and Korean tourists in Thailand. Pilot remittance services linked to bank accounts under consideration for 2026. Orbix Technology serves as technology partner.
• Orbix TechnologycoreTechnology or Integration · 3 February 2026Technology partner alongside BPMG and Kasikornbank for Korea-Thailand stablecoin-based cross-border remittance and payment services.
• Dunamu (Upbit)flagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2021Exclusive banking partner for Upbit, South Korea's largest cryptocurrency exchange — all Upbit users must sign up with Kbank for KRW real-name deposit/withdrawal accounts. Upbit-related deposits account for ~24% of Kbank's 30.4 trillion KRW deposit balance (Q3 2025). Drove user base from 2M (2020) to 15M (2024/25). Partnership reportedly in effect until October 2026.
• BC CardflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor shareholder (financial category) and core card partner — supplies card issuance and payment network infrastructure. Logo featured in Kbank's brand resource center.
• Com2uscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor shareholder (ICT & Platform category). Mobile gaming company — supports Kbank's gamified product experience strategy (e.g., challenge box, money tree, fruit farm savings, ALPHA teen products).
• KG IniciscoreTechnology or IntegrationMajor shareholder (ICT & Platform category) and payments infrastructure partner — Korea's leading payment gateway provider.
• ImgBridgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor shareholder (ICT & Platform category) of Kbank.
• Imginzi (Inzi)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor shareholder (ICT & Platform category) of Kbank.
• Mirae Asset SecuritiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrokerage account distribution partner — Kbank users can open Mirae Asset Direct Stock accounts with benefits (10,000 KRW cash welcome, 20,000 KRW domestic stock trading support, 90-day 0% online trading commission).
• Hana SecuritiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrokerage account distribution partner — comprehensive trading account opening with 20,000 KRW stock purchase coupon, 1 Hanwha Galleria share, additional 10,000 KRW coupon, 3-month commission benefit.
• Korea Investment & SecuritiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrokerage partner for BanKIS stock account opening (KOSPI200 stocks as gift) and US Treasury bond intermediation (23-year US Treasury, max 7.75% pre-tax yield). Also powers Kbank's pension savings account (up to 990,000 KRW tax deduction).
• Samsung SecuritiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrokerage account distribution — comprehensive trading account opening with 20,000 KRW stock investment support and 3-month domestic online commission benefit.
• NH Investment & SecuritiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrokerage account distribution with 1-year domestic stock commission benefit; also powers Kbank's stock collecting and gold (KRX) investing services.
• KB SecuritiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrokerage account distribution — stock coupon up to 30,000 KRW welcome benefit and 5-year domestic online stock commission benefit.
• Korea Housing Finance Corporation (HF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic-sector partner for Apguje e-Bogumjari Loan (3.60%-4.90% p.a., up to 420M KRW) and HF Jeonse Guarantee — Korea Housing Finance Corporation provides funding and guarantee backing; Kbank acts as distribution channel.
• Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic-sector partner for Seoul Safe Account (서울시 안심통장) — up to 10M KRW limit at 4.92% p.a. (3-month variable), with 50% guarantee fee support and up to 3M KRW win-win support event.
• Korea SMEs & Startups Agency (KOSMES / 중진공)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic-sector partner for the dedicated policy-fund account — Kbank opens and manages the account while KOSMES handles policy-fund review and disbursement. Supports youth start-ups, re-startups, and various business purposes.
• Small Business Distribution Center (소상공인24)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic-sector partner that hosts the management consulting and policy-fund matching programs that Kbank surfaces to its SOHO customers; program completion unlocks SOHO loan interest-rate benefits.
• Milly's Library (밀리의서재)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing/product co-branding partner for the Curious Savings product — 31-day daily-deposit savings integrated with Milly's reading subscription; daily deposit success unlocks free Milly subscription vouchers.
• NICE (NICE평가정보)coreTechnology or IntegrationData partner supplying the 'Transaction Safety Index' for SOHO counterparty checks and credit data for My Credit Management and SOHO Credit Report.
• KCB (Korea Credit Bureau)coreTechnology or IntegrationCredit-data partner powering Kbank's My Credit Management dual-score tracking (KCB + NICE) and credit-improvement features.
• Hana BankcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the foreign-exchange wallet infrastructure (currency exchange service) and airport pickup at Hana Bank branches including Incheon International Airport.
• Busan BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-lender for joint credit loans (신용대출 공동대출) — joint product disclosed under Kbank's credit-loan compliance review (valid 2025-09-24 to 2027-09-29).
• MoneyGramcoreTechnology or IntegrationRemittance network partner enabling overseas cash pickup via MoneyGram (USD 4 fee per transaction) — 70 destination countries supported.
• Multiple credit card issuers (Hyundai, Lotte, KB, Samsung, Shinhan, NH, BC, Woori)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partnership for credit-card products — Kbank app is a major sales channel for cards from KB, Hyundai, Lotte, Samsung, Shinhan, NH, BC, and Woori. Includes co-branded cards such as 'KB Kookmin TokTok with Kbank', 'Kbank Shinhan Play', and 'LOCA' series.
• Upbit (Dunamu)flagshipTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for the 'Virtual Asset Collecting' (가상자산 모으기) product — automated periodic purchase of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP via Upbit, minimum 10,000 KRW, maximum 3M KRW, daily/weekly/monthly cycles.
• Ripple Custody (via Kyobo Life)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndirect ecosystem context — Kyobo Life Insurance (April 15, 2026) and Kbank (April 27, 2026) are Ripple's first two Korean institutional deals, building a multi-sector institutional infrastructure across insurance, banking, custody, and stablecoins.
• KTminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-marketing partner for the KT Membership Double Benefit Check Card — KT members get double cashback (up to 40,000 KRW membership benefit + up to 20,000 KRW telecom cashback).

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• KakaoBank: KakaoBank is Korea's leading internet-only bank and Kbank's primary direct competitor, operating the same mobile-first, branchless model with a substantially larger deposit/loan base (~50T+ KRW). It leads the Korean BaaS market (20-24% share vs Kbank's 12-16%) and serves as the benchmark for Kbank's IT-spend efficiency (~5% of interest income vs Kbank's ~17%).
• Toss Bank: Toss Bank is Korea's third internet-only bank, launched 2021 by Viva Republica (Toss), with a BaaS market share of 15-19% (slightly ahead of Kbank). Targets a similar young, mobile-native customer base and competes head-to-head with Kbank in deposits, credit loans, and inclusive finance.
• WeBank: WeBank is China's first internet-only bank (Tenant-backed), serving 400M+ users via mobile. It is the most relevant international peer for Kbank's pure digital-first, mobile-only banking model and AI-driven inclusive-finance approach (alternative credit scoring for thin-file borrowers).
• SBI Sumishin Net Bank: SBI Sumishin Net Bank is Japan's largest internet-only bank and a closely comparable Asian branchless-banking peer. Operates a similar mobile-first deposit/loan/yen FX model with strong partnerships (SBI Securities, Yahoo! Japan) — analogous to Kbank's BaaS-style distribution integrations with Korean securities firms.

Broad incumbents

• Kakao Pay: Kakao Pay is Korea's largest mobile payment and digital financial services platform (sister company to KakaoBank). Overlaps with Kbank in mobile-first consumer finance (payments, lending, investment), but operates a broader platform portfolio rather than a regulated bank balance sheet.
• KB Kookmin Bank: KB Kookmin Bank is one of Korea's largest commercial banks and a major distribution partner of Kbank (KB Securities brokerage integration, KB Kookmin TokTok co-branded credit card). Sets the competitive baseline for mortgage, credit loan, and SOHO lending products that Kbank undercuts on process speed.
• Shinhan Bank: Shinhan Bank is Korea's largest commercial bank and a major distribution partner of Kbank (Kbank Shinhan Play co-branded card, joint Project Pangea participation via UniKA). Competes with Kbank in mortgages, SOHO lending, and inclusive finance while also feeding it card and brokerage distribution.
• Hana Bank: Hana Bank is Kbank's primary FX infrastructure partner (Hana Bank 환전지갑 powers Kbank's currency exchange service) and one of Korea's largest commercial banks. A key strategic partner as well as a competitor in mortgages, FX, and SME lending.
• Woori Bank: Woori Bank is a major shareholder of Kbank and one of Korea's "Big 4" commercial banks. Dual role as institutional investor/board influence and as competitor across deposits, mortgages, and SME lending — and a key reference for the kind of scaled incumbent Kbank aims to disrupt.

Regional players

• Kasikornbank: Kasikornbank is Thailand's second-largest commercial bank and Kbank's strategic MoU partner for Korea-Thailand blockchain-based cross-border remittance and payments (signed Feb 2026). Comparable as a digital-forward incumbent in a neighboring ASEAN market that is also pursuing stablecoin-based remittance via Orbix Technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kbank

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors11 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kbank