SBI, KB Card plan crypto payments for Japan tourists in South Korea

South Korea’s KB Kookmin Card has signed a four-party agreement with Japan’s SBI Holdings and two security companies to test AI agent identity verification and explore stablecoin payments between the two countries.

KB Kookmin Card said on October 13 that the memorandum of understanding (MOU) involves SBI Holdings, South Korean cybersecurity company Everspin and their joint venture, SBI Everspin. The partnership will examine how AI agents can securely access financial services and complete authorized transactions on behalf of users. The companies plan to explore digital asset payments that could allow Japanese tourists to spend stablecoins at participating South Korean merchants.

SBI stablecoin payments partnership targets Japanese tourists

Under the agreement, KB Kookmin Card and SBI Holdings will examine payment services connecting customers in Japan with merchants in South Korea. One proposed service would allow Japanese travelers to use digital assets, including stablecoins, when purchasing goods or services during their visits.

The companies intend to study how payments could move through existing financial systems, including the handling of settlements, cancellations and refunds. Their discussions will cover fraud prevention and operational procedures required before any service becomes available to customers. No commercial launch date or supported stablecoin has been announced.

KB Kookmin Card will examine whether its KB Pay platform can support AI agents making payments for customers. The proposed system would verify a user’s consent and check whether an automated agent has permission to complete a transaction within predetermined spending limits.

A company representative said the partnership would test the foundation needed for AI agents to operate securely across multiple services. The representative stated that the businesses would work together to provide customers in South Korea and Japan with “convenient and secure digital payment experiences.”

SBI Holdings said it would combine its financial services experience with the participating companies’ AI and security technologies. The Japanese financial group expects the tests to provide information about possible commercial services, including stablecoin payments.

AI identity checks will use KYA Trust Gateway

At the center of the partnership is KYA Trust Gateway, a security platform designed to establish the identity and permissions of AI agents. The technology was conceived by SBI Everspin, which is developing the system with Everspin.

Unlike traditional user authentication, the proposed process checks whether an AI agent has received permission from a specific person to perform designated tasks. It verifies the agent’s identity, the services it can access and the limits placed on its actions. The partners intend to use these checks before allowing automated systems to perform financial activities.

During the initial testing phase, the companies will examine how AI agents operating from Japan can authenticate themselves when accessing South Korean services. The project will then examine delegated authority, including the types of transactions agents can perform and whether their permissions meet service requirements.

KB Kookmin Card’s planned integration with KB Pay will form part of the subsequent review. The companies expect to examine user approval procedures, spending limits and access controls before determining whether automated payments can be introduced commercially.

According to Everspin, the development work draws on its experience protecting financial institutions from cyberattacks. The company said it had detected attempts involving an AI-based attack method known as ARTEX in real financial service environments.

Everspin reported approximately 25 billion cumulative cybersecurity threat detections across more than 150 financial institutions in South Korea and overseas. The figures are company-reported operating statistics and do not represent confirmed attacks involving the new KYA Trust Gateway platform.

An Everspin representative said the company intended to apply its security experience to verifying AI agents and their transaction permissions. The company expects the collaboration to cover financial activities involving automated agents operating across national borders.

SBI expands stablecoin payment tests between Japan and Korea

The October 13 agreement follows another cross-border stablecoin project involving SBI Group. On October 1, its subsidiary SBI DigiTrust announced a joint verification project with South Korea’s NICE Information & Telecommunication and blockchain infrastructure company DSRV.

The companies are testing a system that would allow Japanese tourists to make payments at participating South Korean merchants using QR codes. The project covers payment instructions, the movement of funds between customers and merchants, settlement processes and connections between participating financial systems.

NICE operates payment infrastructure serving approximately 1.2 million merchants in South Korea. Under the project, the company provides experience managing merchant payments, while DSRV contributes blockchain infrastructure expertise. SBI DigiTrust handles financial and regulatory considerations relating to the Japanese market.

The three companies expect to complete their tests by the end of December 2026. They have not committed to a commercial launch and will use the findings to assess whether the proposed service can operate under the applicable financial regulations.

The project forms part of SBI’s stablecoin QR payment testing between Japan and South Korea, which has examined real merchant payment procedures and the technical requirements for moving funds across the two countries.

SBI Group has pursued other digital payment initiatives during 2026. In February, SBI Ripple Asia confirmed a joint research project with DSRV examining blockchain-based remittances and settlements connecting the Japanese and South Korean markets. The project focuses on how blockchain transactions could work alongside existing payment infrastructure and regulatory requirements.

KB Kookmin Card continues work on stablecoin products

For KB Kookmin Card, the agreement follows an earlier initiative involving Avalanche and OpenAsset. In March 2026, the company introduced plans for a hybrid credit card system that would connect stablecoin wallets with conventional card payments.

Under the proposed arrangement, customers would be able to fund transactions using digital assets before drawing on traditional credit facilities. The design preserves existing card payment processes while providing a potential method for spending stablecoins through supported payment networks.

The initiative followed a January patent filing for the proposed payment structure. Through its hybrid stablecoin credit card project, the company has explored combining blockchain-based assets with its established card services.

Meanwhile, SBI Holdings has continued developing stablecoin infrastructure in Japan. In June 2026, the group launched JPYSC, a yen-denominated stablecoin developed with Startale Group and issued by SBI Shinsei Trust Bank. Initial access was limited to accounts held through SBI VC Trade, pending arrangements for use on public blockchains.

The Japanese financial group has pursued settlement experiments involving other financial institutions. On October 6, SBI Securities and several partners reported completing the first two phases of Project Trinity, a trial examining stablecoin settlement for tokenized securities transactions.

For the newly announced KB Kookmin Card partnership, the four companies have not disclosed a budget, testing completion date or launch schedule. The participants said they would assess commercial opportunities after reviewing the technical results, with potential future work covering financial and nonfinancial services.