Tmoney
Tmoney is South Korea's dominant public transit payment platform, operating as the designated clearing house for Seoul metropolitan buses and subways with 82% prepaid card market share. It serves commuters, taxi operators, and government/enterprise clients through card, mobile, and tagless BLE payment infrastructure across multiple transport modes.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Tmoney does
Tmoney Co., Ltd. (formerly Korea Smart Card) is a publicly listed South Korean mobility fintech company founded in 2003 and headquartered in Seoul. The company operates Korea's dominant prepaid transit payment infrastructure, holding 82% market share in prepaid transportation cards with 7 million cards sold annually and serving as the designated clearing house for Seoul metropolitan transit. Tmoney processes 4.67 million daily transit transactions worth 38 billion KRW across 13,100 buses and 765 subway stations, plus approximately 2 million daily taxi transactions worth 20 billion KRW with 64% national taxi market share across 160,000 vehicles.
The company operates a portfolio of interconnected products including the physical Tmoney card, Mobile Tmoney (NFC-based smartphone payment integrated with Samsung Wallet, Toss, Naver Pay, Payco, Apple Pay, and other Korean wallets), the TmoneyGO MaaS super-app integrating public transit, taxi hailing (Onda), bike sharing, and bus/train booking, plus the tagless BLE payment system recognized by UITP and TTG. In April 2025, Tmoney executed a physical spin-off of Tmoney Mobility, a wholly-owned subsidiary consolidating taxi dispatch, app meter solutions, VAN payment processing, and bus booking services. Additional offerings include the Climate Companion Card (unlimited transit pass), BizPay (corporate mobility expense management), and VAN payment services.
Tmoney's business model is primarily transaction-fee based across transit clearing, taxi payment processing, and mobile payment services, supplemented by advertising revenue (705,000 MAU advertising platform), physical card sales, and enterprise subscriptions for BizPay. The company serves individual commuters, taxi operators, transport operators, foreign tourists, and government/enterprise clients including the Presidential Office, Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Seoul Metropolitan Government, LG CNS, POSCO, LG Electronics, and KT. Reported 2024 consolidated revenue was 336.9 billion KRW with 2025 standalone revenue projected at 253.3 billion KRW and operating profit improving from 15 billion KRW to 22.5 billion KRW.
Tmoney firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tmoney
- Legal name
- Tmoney Co., Ltd.
- Website
- https://tmoney.co.kr
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tmoney is South Korea's dominant public transit payment platform, operating as the designated clearing house for Seoul metropolitan buses and subways with 82% prepaid card market share. It serves commuters, taxi operators, and government/enterprise clients through card, mobile, and tagless BLE payment infrastructure across multiple transport modes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tmoney industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Transit Payment Services
- NAICS
- Taxi and Ridesharing Services (48531)
- SIC
- Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Booking Platforms & Online TMCs (THAKAAAG)
Keywords
Where Tmoney is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tmoney business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Transit Settlement Services: Tmoney operates as the primary clearing house for Seoul metropolitan transit, collecting transaction fees from card networks and distributing to transport operators. Handles 4.67M daily transactions across 13,100 buses and 765 subway stations.
- Taxi Payment Processing: Payment terminal supply and transaction processing for taxi fleet, with D+2 settlement to operators. Processes approximately 2M daily taxi transactions worth 20B KRW with 64% national taxi market share.
- Mobile Payment Services: Mobile Tmoney platform generating revenue through transaction fees on retail payments at partner merchants (convenience stores, cafes, franchises), mobile top-up charges, and postpaid service card management fees.
- Advertising Platform: In-app advertising through main banners, exit popups, and transit arrival push notifications targeting 705,000 monthly active users with demographic and location-based targeting capabilities.
- Card Sales and Partnerships: Sale of physical Tmoney cards (7M units annually, 82% market share in prepaid transit cards), co-branded cards with financial institutions (2.5M units/year), and specialty designs including character collaborations.
- Express Bus Booking Platform: Commission from high-speed and intercity bus ticket bookings through 티머니GO, with 82% mobile payment ratio for express buses and 61% for intercity buses. Also generates revenue from bus GPS traffic data services.
- Corporate Mobility Services: Bizpay enterprise solution providing automated expense reporting and receipt management for corporate transportation expenses, serving government agencies and major enterprises.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Transit Payment Processing Fee |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mobile Tmoney Prepaid Card |
| Subscription | Monthly | Climate Companion Card (기후동행카드) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Tmoney Bizpay Corporate |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Taxi App Meter Hardware |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels8 records
Tmoney product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tmoney operates Korea's dominant public transit payment platform, issuing physical prepaid T-money cards (82% market share) and the Mobile Tmoney NFC payment platform. The company also runs the TmoneyGO super-app that aggregates public transit, taxi booking, bike sharing, bus/SRT/flight booking, and car rental, plus enterprise services like Bizpay for corporate mobility expense management. Its infrastructure processes 4.67 million daily transit transactions and handles 64% of the national taxi payment market.
Product overview
Tmoney operates as a comprehensive mobility fintech platform offering multiple interconnected products. The core offerings include physical T-money交通cards (prepaid transit cards with 82% market share), Mobile T-money (NFC-based mobile payment on Android/iOS with Samsung Wallet, TOSS, and other wallet integrations), TmoneyGO (unified mobility app integrating public transit, taxi booking, bike sharing, bus/SRT booking, and route planning), and T-money Mobility (spun off in 2025 for taxi dispatch, app metering, and VAN payment services). Key products include Tagless Payment (BLE-based automatic transit payment), Onda Taxi (no-fare-gathering taxi calling), Climate Companion Card (unlimited transit pass), K-pass (monthly transit pass), and BizPay (corporate transit payment with auto-receipting). The portfolio spans transit payment infrastructure, mobile payments, mobility aggregation, and enterprise payment solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TmoneyGO: Integrated mobility platform combining public transportation and various mobility services
- Mobile Tmoney (모바일티머니)
- Tmoneyonda (온다택시)
- Tmoney Pay
- Tmoney BizPay (비즈페이)
- Tagless Payment (태그리스 결제)
- Climate Companion Card (기후동행카드)
- Tmoney Taxi
- Express Bus Booking (고속/시외버스)
Products and services
- T-money Card T-money physical prepaid transportation card with 82% market share in Korea's prepaid card sector, sold through convenience stores (GS25, CU), bookstores, and transportation hubs with 7 million units sold annually. Available in various designs including character collaborations (Kakao Friends, Line Friends) and eco-friendly options.
- Mobile T-money Mobile NFC-based payment service allowing transit and retail payments via smartphone. Supports both prepaid (charging) and postpaid (billing) models with 4.6 million registered users. Integrated into Samsung Wallet, TOSS, Naver Pay, Payco, and Hana Pay for broad payment ecosystem access.
- TmoneyGO Unified mobility app integrating public transit route search, taxi booking (Onda), bike sharing (Seoul Bike, e-bikes, kickboards), bus/SRT/flight booking, and car rental. Offers GO mileage rewards for transit use and transfers. 4.14 million monthly active users as of latest data.
- Tagless Payment Tagless payment system using BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) technology that automatically processes transit fares without tapping. Users pass through gates with payment processed automatically upon exit recognition. Recognized with UITP Award (2023) and World Transport Payment Award (2024).
- Onda Taxi Korea's first taxi-hailing app with no fare-gathering discrimination - drivers don't see destination until passenger is picked up. Available nationwide in 46 cities across 8 provinces. Operated by Tmoney Mobility subsidiary.
- Climate Companion Card Unlimited transit pass for selected period (30-day or short-term passes for 1-7 days) covering subway, buses, and Seoul Bike (Ddareungi). Targeted at users aged 19-39 with youth discounts. Operates on subscription model with 3만원 (30,000 KRW) price point.
- BizPay
Quantifiable outcome
- 64% national taxi market share with 160,000 vehicles
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Tmoney
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Tmoney technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration16 records
Feature5 records
Tmoney partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional, major and minor.
- TMO LabscoreTMO Labs integrating with Sei Network to power TMO Wallet for blockchain-based digital asset payments. Connects Sei blockchain layer with existing Tmoney payment infrastructure including Naver Pay, Payco, TMONEY, and EZL. Aims to enable stablecoin and digital asset payments for Korean consumers.
- DiDi ChuxingcorePartnership enabling Chinese tourists to book Korean taxis through DiDi app. T-money Mobility's Onda Taxis available in real-time via DiDi platform across Seoul, Jeju Island, Chuncheon, and Gyeonggi Province. Positions T-money as broader mobility platform linking transportation and payments for international users.
- Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentcoreGovernment partnership for Climate Companion Card (기후동행카드) promotion and public transit activation policy. 10% payback promotion for first-time users aligned with Seoul's transit subsidy initiatives.
- Gangwon-do Taxi AssociationregionalIntegrated taxi call center partnership for Gangwon Province connecting regional taxi services with 티머니 Mobility platform.
- ApplecoreApple Pay Tmoney integration allowing iPhone and Apple Watch users to add Tmoney cards to Apple Wallet. Updated iOS app to accept international credit cards (Mastercard, Amex, UnionPay) enabling foreign tourist usage without Korean bank accounts.
- Kakao TmajorPayment processing integration for Kakao T ride-hailing platform. Tmoney Mobility processes taxi payments for Kakao T transactions nationwide.
- Tada (VCNC)majorPayment processing integration for Tada premium taxi service. Connects Tmoney payment infrastructure with Tada platform operations.
- SamsungmajorSamsung Wallet integration enabling Tmoney card storage and payment on Samsung devices. Supports Galaxy Watch app for wearable transit payment.
- Toss (Viva Republica)majorToss app integration for Tmoney card access and payment processing through Toss platform.
- Naver PaymajorNaver Pay integration enabling Tmoney payment and balance management within Naver ecosystem.
- PaycomajorPayco platform integration for Tmoney payment processing and mileage rewards.
- KlookminorExpress bus booking partnership through Klook travel platform for international tourist access to Korean bus tickets.
- HanpassminorExpress bus booking partnership with Hanpass for mobile payment and booking services.
- Nol (Yanolja)minorExpress bus booking integration with Nol travel platform for seamless booking experience.
- UbermajorPayment processing integration for Uber taxi services in Korea through Tmoney Mobility infrastructure.
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Tmoney competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kakao Mobility: Korea's dominant ride-hailing and mobility super-app, operating Kakao T. Directly comparable as a Korean mobility platform; competes with TmoneyGO on aggregation and integrates with Tmoney for taxi payment processing.
- Cubic Transportation Systems: Global leader in transit fare collection systems (Oyster, Ventra, Opal, OMNY). Directly comparable as a turnkey provider of transit clearing infrastructure and fare-collection platforms, including emerging tagless/mobile solutions.
- Octopus Cards Limited: Hong Kong's dominant transit stored-value card and payment platform, expanding into retail and government services. Closest international analog to Tmoney's card-based transit clearing + mobile + retail strategy.
- JR East (Suica): Operates Japan's leading transit IC card (Suica/Mobile Suica) with nationwide interoperability. Comparable as a rail-operator-affiliated transit payment platform that has expanded into retail payments and mobile wallets.
Broad incumbents
- Conduent Transportation Solutions: US-based incumbent providing transit fare collection, transit signal priority, and mobility services across North America. Comparable as a broad transit-tech incumbent but with a much larger portfolio outside Tmoney's transit-payment niche.
- Kakao Pay: Korea's largest mobile payment platform, listed on KRX. Comparable as a Korean mobile payment ecosystem that overlaps with Tmoney's Mobile Tmoney and merchant acquiring business.
- Naver Pay: Payment platform within Korea's Naver super-app ecosystem. Directly comparable as a Korean fintech integrated with Tmoney for transit top-up and a competitor in mobile wallet and merchant payment services.
Emerging players
- Masabi: UK-based transit mobile ticketing platform (Justride) used by agencies including MTA, RTC, and Transport for West Midlands. Comparable as a software-led mobile ticketing and account-based fare platform challenging legacy clearing houses.
Regional players
- Grab Holdings: Southeast Asia mobility super-app combining ride-hailing, food delivery, and fintech (GrabPay). Comparable as a regional MaaS + payments platform pursuing the same super-app strategy Tmoney is building with TmoneyGO.
Others
- Toss (Viva Republica): Korea's leading consumer fintech super-app and Tmoney integration partner. Comparable as a Korean mobile payment and financial services platform; relevant ecosystem participant rather than direct transit competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tmoney social profiles
Digital presenceTmoney compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Tmoney financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tmoney leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Tmoney subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Tmoney funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tmoney M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tmoney
What does Tmoney do?
Tmoney operates Korea's dominant public transit payment platform, issuing physical prepaid T-money cards (82% market share) and the Mobile Tmoney NFC payment platform. The company also runs the TmoneyGO super-app that aggregates public transit, taxi booking, bike sharing, bus/SRT/flight booking, and car rental, plus enterprise services like Bizpay for corporate mobility expense management. Its infrastructure processes 4.67 million daily transit transactions and handles 64% of the national taxi payment market.
Is Tmoney a public or private company?
Tmoney is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Tmoney founded?
Tmoney was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tmoney based?
Tmoney is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Tmoney make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Transit Settlement Services are the primary driver. The others are taxi Payment Processing, mobile Payment Services, advertising Platform, card Sales and Partnerships, express Bus Booking Platform and corporate Mobility Services.
Who are Tmoney's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kakao Mobility, Cubic Transportation Systems, Octopus Cards Limited and JR East (Suica). Broad incumbents are Conduent Transportation Solutions, Kakao Pay and Naver Pay. Masabi is listed as an emerging player. Grab Holdings is listed as a regional player. Toss (Viva Republica) is listed as an others.
Does Tmoney have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tmoney.
What industry is Tmoney in?
Tmoney's product category is Transit Payment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAKAAAG, Corporate Booking Platforms & Online TMCs. Its NAICS code is 48531 and its SIC code is 4700.