Major South Korean financial holding companies and banks are positioning 2026 as the first year of a major shift in the financial paradigm. Common priorities include accelerating AI-driven digital transformation, expanding productive finance, and strengthening consumer protection and internal controls. KB Financial, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NH Nonghyup outlined strategies spanning wealth management, investment banking, risk management and new digital-asset preparation. Financial authorities also stressed faster financial restructuring and results from productive finance.

The digital asset market in 2025 gains momentum as regulation advances in the United States, with stablecoins becoming a major issue. In 2026, the global digital payments market moves into a structural transition driven by stablecoins, AI-agent payments and practical onchain settlement infrastructure. The article notes reshaping ties between Korean exchanges and finance, debate over XRP’s investment suitability, and institutional optimism alongside onchain warnings. It also cites polarised bitcoin forecasts, a potential altcoin shakeout, niche bets such as Shiba Inu, and tighter Korean regulation, including a Korbit fine.