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Wallets/k-bank-korea

K Bank Korea

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Overview

K Bank Korea is South Korea's #2 internet bank + 15.5M users end-2025 + 18M customer target + Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence + planning lifestyle-integrated services combining finance and commerce with Musinsa [1, 2, kr-cro]. 2025 baseline: K Bank 15.5M users end-2025 + 18M customer target + Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence reduced from over 50% in 2021 to 20% in 2025; K Bank net profit decline 2025 due to increased interest expenses following hike in fees for deposits from crypto exchange Upbit (fee rate for Upbit deposits increased from 0.1% to 2.1% post-Virtual Asset User Protection Act July 2024) distinctive Korean internet banking + crypto exchange dependence challenge; K Bank planning lifestyle-integrated services combining finance and commerce with Musinsa distinctive Korean internet banking + Korean fashion commerce platform partnership.

Distinctive K Bank positioning:

  • South Korea's #2 internet bank (K bank; KT Corporation + Woori Bank + Hanwha Life Insurance + others investors)
  • 15.5M users end-2025 distinctive Korean internet banking scale
  • 18M customer target distinctive Korean internet banking growth ambition
  • Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence distinctive Korean internet banking + crypto exchange partnership
  • Planning lifestyle-integrated services combining finance and commerce with Musinsa distinctive Korean internet banking + Korean fashion commerce platform partnership
  • K Bank net profit decline 2025 due to increased interest expenses following hike in fees for deposits from crypto exchange Upbit distinctive Korean internet banking + crypto exchange dependence challenge
  • Apr 3 2017 K bank Korea launch as South Korea's first internet bank distinctive Korean internet banking pioneer heritage (one month before KakaoBank)
  • Expanding platform business + entering individual business owner and SME market distinctive Korean internet banking SME + platform expansion strategy

History

Apr 3 2017 — K bank Korea launch as South Korea's first internet bank distinctive Korean internet banking pioneer heritage (one month before KakaoBank Jul 27 2017 launch).

Jul 2024 — Virtual Asset User Protection Act fee rate for Upbit deposits increased from 0.1% to 2.1% distinctive Korean internet banking + crypto exchange dependence challenge.

2021 — K Bank Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence over 50%.

End-2025 — K Bank 15.5M users + Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence reduced from over 50% in 2021 to 20% in 2025 + K Bank net profit decline 2025 due to increased interest expenses following hike in fees for deposits from crypto exchange Upbit + K Bank planning lifestyle-integrated services combining finance and commerce with Musinsa + 18M customer target [1, 2, 3].

Ownership & operator

Operating entity: K bank (South Korean internet bank; KT Corporation + Woori Bank + Hanwha Life Insurance + others investors).

Major shareholders: KT Corporation (KRX: 030200; South Korean telecom) + Woori Bank (KRX: 316140; Woori Financial Group) + Hanwha Life Insurance + GS Retail + KG Inicis + DGB Capital + others investors.

Regulators: FSC (Financial Services Commission Korea) + FSS (Financial Supervisory Service Korea) + BoK (Bank of Korea).

Technical integration

K Bank mobile banking app (iOS + Android; 15.5M users end-2025) + kbanknow.com online + K Bank Visa + Mastercard cards; KFTC + Zero Pay KR + BoK CBDC (partial); K Bank Upbit crypto exchange deposit integration (Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence reduced from over 50% in 2021 to 20% in 2025) distinctive Korean internet banking + crypto exchange partnership + K Bank planning lifestyle-integrated services combining finance and commerce with Musinsa distinctive Korean internet banking + Korean fashion commerce platform partnership + Expanding platform business + entering individual business owner and SME market distinctive Korean internet banking SME + platform expansion strategy.

Users & growth

End-2025: K Bank 15.5M users + 18M customer target + Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence reduced from over 50% in 2021 to 20% in 2025; K Bank net profit decline 2025 due to increased interest expenses following hike in fees for deposits from crypto exchange Upbit (fee rate for Upbit deposits increased from 0.1% to 2.1% post-Virtual Asset User Protection Act July 2024).

Use cases

South Korean retail + private + SME + commercial + crypto exchange deposit + lifestyle-integrated services + Musinsa partnership banking via K Bank mobile + kbanknow.com online + Visa/Mastercard cards; KFTC + Zero Pay KR + BoK CBDC (partial); K Bank Upbit crypto exchange deposit integration (Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence reduced from over 50% in 2021 to 20% in 2025) distinctive Korean internet banking + crypto exchange partnership + K Bank planning lifestyle-integrated services combining finance and commerce with Musinsa distinctive Korean internet banking + Korean fashion commerce platform partnership + Expanding platform business + entering individual business owner and SME market distinctive Korean internet banking SME + platform expansion strategy.

Implementations & partners

Operator: K bank (South Korean internet bank; KT Corporation + Woori Bank + Hanwha Life Insurance + others investors); KT Corporation (KRX: 030200; South Korean telecom) + Woori Bank (KRX: 316140; Woori Financial Group) + Hanwha Life Insurance + GS Retail + KG Inicis + DGB Capital + others investors.

Upbit crypto exchange partnership: K Bank Upbit crypto exchange deposit integration (Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence reduced from over 50% in 2021 to 20% in 2025) distinctive Korean internet banking + crypto exchange partnership.

Musinsa lifestyle-commerce partnership: K Bank planning lifestyle-integrated services combining finance and commerce with Musinsa distinctive Korean internet banking + Korean fashion commerce platform partnership.

Major Korean internet bank + commercial bank competitors: [[kakaobank]] (KakaoBank; KRX: 323410; South Korea's largest internet bank; 26.7M users end-2025; ₩480.3B (~$315.5M) net profit 2025 +9.1% YoY; best performance on record + 1.82M new users) + [[toss-bank]] (Toss Bank; South Korean internet bank under Viva Republica; 12M+ users end-2025) + [[toss]] (Toss / Viva Republica; South Korean super-app) + [[kb-kookmin-bank]] (KB Kookmin Bank; KRX: 105560; KB Financial Group; South Korea's largest commercial bank by assets) + [[shinhan-sol]] (Shinhan Bank; KRX: 055550; Shinhan Financial Group) + [[hana-bank]] (Hana Bank; KRX: 086790; Hana Financial Group) + [[woori-bank]] (Woori Bank; KRX: 316140; Woori Financial Group; K Bank Korea ~14% shareholder) + [[nh-bank]] (NongHyup Bank) + [[ibk-korea]] (Industrial Bank of Korea; KRX: 024110; 17M retail + 2.2M corporate customers + Sep 1 2025 i-ONE Bank Personal complete overhaul).

Regulators: FSC + FSS + BoK.

Fun facts

  • South Korea's #2 internet bank (K bank; KT Corporation + Woori Bank + Hanwha Life Insurance + others investors).
  • 15.5M users end-2025 distinctive Korean internet banking scale.
  • 18M customer target distinctive Korean internet banking growth ambition.
  • Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence distinctive Korean internet banking + crypto exchange partnership.
  • Planning lifestyle-integrated services combining finance and commerce with Musinsa distinctive Korean internet banking + Korean fashion commerce platform partnership.
  • K Bank net profit decline 2025 due to increased interest expenses following hike in fees for deposits from crypto exchange Upbit (fee rate for Upbit deposits increased from 0.1% to 2.1% post-Virtual Asset User Protection Act July 2024) distinctive Korean internet banking + crypto exchange dependence challenge.
  • Apr 3 2017 K bank Korea launch as South Korea's first internet bank distinctive Korean internet banking pioneer heritage (one month before KakaoBank).
  • Expanding platform business + entering individual business owner and SME market distinctive Korean internet banking SME + platform expansion strategy.

Comparison

Feature K Bank Korea [[kakaobank]] (KakaoBank rival; South Korea's largest internet bank; 26.7M users end-2025) [[toss-bank]] (Toss Bank rival; South Korean internet bank under Viva Republica; 12M+ users end-2025) [[kb-kookmin-bank]] (KB Kookmin Bank rival; South Korea's largest commercial bank by assets) [[ibk-korea]] (Industrial Bank of Korea rival; 17M retail + 2.2M corporate customers)
Operator K bank (South Korean internet bank; KT Corporation + Woori Bank + Hanwha Life Insurance + others investors) KakaoBank (KRX: 323410; South Korea's largest internet bank) Toss Bank (South Korean internet bank under Viva Republica) KB Kookmin Bank (KRX: 105560; KB Financial Group; South Korea's largest commercial bank by assets) Industrial Bank of Korea (KRX: 024110; South Korean state-owned commercial bank since 1961)
Type South Korea's #2 internet bank + 15.5M users end-2025 + 18M customer target + Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence reduced from over 50% in 2021 to 20% in 2025 + K Bank net profit decline 2025 due to increased interest expenses following hike in fees for deposits from crypto exchange Upbit + K Bank planning lifestyle-integrated services combining finance and commerce with Musinsa + Expanding platform business + entering individual business owner and SME market South Korea's largest internet bank + 26.7M users end-2025 + ₩480.3B (~$315.5M) net profit 2025 +9.1% YoY + best performance on record + 1.82M new users + 2026 stablecoin services + AI/global push 30M users target South Korean internet bank under Viva Republica + 12M+ users end-2025 South Korea's largest commercial bank by assets South Korean state-owned commercial bank + 17M retail + 2.2M corporate customers + Sep 1 2025 i-ONE Bank Personal complete overhaul
Country KR KR KR KR + 11 countries KR + US + CN + JP + IN + VN + ID + MM + KH + RU + GB + DE + PH
Distinctive Apr 3 2017 K bank Korea launch as South Korea's first internet bank (one month before KakaoBank Jul 27 2017 launch); 2021 K Bank Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence over 50%; Jul 2024 Virtual Asset User Protection Act fee rate for Upbit deposits increased from 0.1% to 2.1%; End-2025 15.5M users + Upbit dependence reduced to 20% + K Bank planning lifestyle-integrated services with Musinsa + 18M customer target 2017 KakaoBank founding as internet bank by Kakao Corporation; Aug 6 2021 KRX IPO under ticker 323410 2021 Toss Bank Korea launch under Viva Republica 1963 KB Kookmin Bank founding 1961 IBK Industrial Bank of Korea founding (South Korean state-owned commercial bank)

Status

Active, South Korea's #2 internet bank + 15.5M users end-2025 + 18M customer target + Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence reduced from over 50% in 2021 to 20% in 2025 + K Bank planning lifestyle-integrated services combining finance and commerce with Musinsa [1, 2, 3]:

  • K bank (South Korean internet bank; KT Corporation + Woori Bank + Hanwha Life Insurance + others investors) since Apr 3 2017 K bank Korea launch as South Korea's first internet bank + 2021 K Bank Upbit crypto exchange deposit dependence over 50% + Jul 2024 Virtual Asset User Protection Act fee rate for Upbit deposits increased from 0.1% to 2.1% + End-2025 K Bank 15.5M users + Upbit dependence reduced to 20%.
  • K Bank 15.5M users end-2025 + 18M customer target.
  • K Bank planning lifestyle-integrated services combining finance and commerce with Musinsa.
  • FSC + FSS + BoK regulated.

Sources

Source

Biography extracted from k-bank-korea.md. See matrix.md for standards-support matrix if present.

source · docs/wallets/k-bank-korea/index.md