KB Kookmin Bank and Kakao Group partner on digital asset vision

KB Kookmin Bank and Kakao Group co-hosted the ‘Next Finance Korea 2026’ conference on the 28th at the Westin Josun Seoul. The private event brought together approximately 150 domestic and international stakeholders from the digital asset and financial industries to discuss the future direction of the rapidly evolving digital asset market.

During the conference, KB Kookmin Bank Vice President Seo Ki-won emphasized that while technology advances, the fundamental essence of finance—trust—remains unchanged. He stated that the bank aims to extend its accumulated trust into the digital realm by building new financial infrastructure that connects the issuance and distribution of digital value alongside partners.

Lee Sang-ryul, head of the DT Promotion Department at KB Kookmin Bank, noted that the digital asset market presents opportunities for new financial demand. He suggested that banks will serve as a ‘trust layer’ by managing prepared assets and handling anti-money laundering (AML) responsibilities. Additionally, it was noted that KB Kookmin Bank recently extended its real-name account partnership with the cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb for one year.