Moves by the credit card industry to support cryptocurrency payments are accelerating. Developments in South Korea are also taking more concrete shape, drawing attention.

BC Card recently signed a memorandum of understanding with global digital asset company Coinbase to introduce U.S. dollar-based stablecoin USDC payments in South Korea. The two will jointly pursue a pilot project that links BC Card's QR payment solution to a Base-chain wallet, allowing customers holding USDC to pay at domestic merchants.

BC Card cooperates with Coinbase on introducing USDC payments in South Korea.

Visa recently introduced a USDC payment service for U.S. financial institutions, and Visa plans to expand the service further in 2026. Usage of Visa-issued cryptocurrency cards surged 525 percent over the full year of 2025. Total payment volume on Visa crypto cards rose to $9.13 billion at end-December from $1.46 billion as of January 2025. The cards were issued in cooperation with blockchain projects, including crypto payments platform GnosisPay and Cypher, DeFi projects EtherFi, Avici Money, Exa App and Moonwell.

Visa introduces USDC payment service for U.S. banks, using Solana. Visa crypto card usage jumps 525 percent, accelerating crypto payments.

Major South Korean financial holding companies and banks defined 2026 as the first year of a "financial paradigm shift". They presented shared keywords including accelerating digital transformation centered on artificial intelligence, expanding productive finance, and strengthening financial consumer protection and internal controls. The message is interpreted as an effort to respond preemptively to structural changes that will determine survival over the next 10 years, beyond simple performance management.

AI expansion, productive finance and trust recovery point to a major shift in the 2026 financial paradigm.

Such themes were also emphasized in New Year messages from leaders in the financial sector.

Yang Jong-hee, KB Financial Group chairman: "The core of finance is trust... we must read future changes." Lee Hwan-joo, KB Kookmin Bank CEO: "We must move toward a better future through expansion and transformation." Lim Jong-ryong, Woori Financial Group chairman: "We will make a new flow in finance and make a leap forward." Jin Ok-dong, Shinhan Financial Group chairman: "If we stop, we fall behind... we must secure leadership in the digital ecosystem." Ham Young-joo, Hana Financial Group chairman: "Banks are in crisis... this cannot continue."

Other key moves across finance and fintech are as follows.

Woori Bank launched "Woori Advanced Leading Company Loans" to actively support a "productive finance big transformation" policy being pursued by financial authorities and to underpin real-economy growth. Woori Bank also hired Eui-cheol Jung, 56, a former executive director from Samsung Electronics' MX business division, as head of its Digital Sales Group, with the rank of deputy president. It will also introduce an "AI-smishing text safety service" to protect customers from increasingly sophisticated text-message payment fraud.

Woori Bank increases preferential terms for loans to innovative technology firms in advanced strategic industries. Woori Bank hires Samsung Electronics alumnus Eui-cheol Jung to lead digital sales. Woori Bank introduces an "AI-smishing text safety service."

Shinhan Bank said the number of highway rest areas nationwide operating Ttaenggyeoyo's QR order dine-in service reached 100.

Shinhan Bank's Ttaenggyeoyo reaches 100 highway rest areas operating its QR order dine-in service.

Hana Bank will introduce an AI pension investment withdrawal solution service that offers systematic return management at the time of pension withdrawals.

Hana Bank launches the banking sector's first "AI pension investment withdrawal solution."

NH Nonghyup Bank listed NH First Start Loan, a specialized unsecured loan product for new entrants to the workforce, on loan comparison services run by Toss and Kakao Pay.

NH Nonghyup Bank lists on Toss and Kakao Pay loan comparison services.

IBK Industrial Bank of Korea will participate in CES 2026, held in Las Vegas from Jan. 6 to 9 local time, and will be the only domestic bank to operate a standalone booth.

IBK Industrial Bank of Korea to attend CES 2026, the only bank to run a standalone booth.

KakaoBank will launch "One-Month Savings with Samsung Electronics," allowing customers who save consistently for a month to receive benefits and prizes for purchasing Samsung Electronics home appliances.

KakaoBank launches "One-Month Savings with Samsung Electronics," saying customers can save and get appliance discounts.

Banks are unhappy as the government and the ruling party begin work to legislate a "no-fault liability" system that would make financial firms responsible for compensation when voice phishing losses occur even if they are not at fault. The burden could rise due to the need for substantial compensation funds and additional investment to build systems such as upgrading fraud detection systems.

Banks unhappy as voice phishing liability tightens, requiring compensation even without fault.

In the fintech industry, tension is spreading as financial authorities review a plan to introduce a cap on commission rates for online loan comparison and brokerage platforms. Concerns are also emerging that, contrary to the authorities' aim of inducing lower loan rates in the secondary financial sector such as savings banks, the fintech ecosystem that has formed around loan platforms could shrink.

Commission regulation blade turns on loan platforms, putting fintech industry on edge.

The securities industry put "digital transformation" at the top of its priorities for 2026. It is moving into a race to preempt the market by positioning digital assets such as security tokens and real-world assets as key future growth engines.

Securities firms shift from STOs to RWAs in a competition for digital asset dominance.

Korea Exchange chairman Eun-bo Jeong presented a blueprint to open an era of a 5,000 KOSPI as the new year of 2026 begins. The plan includes gradually establishing a 24-hour trading system and pursuing the introduction of digital financial products such as virtual asset exchange-traded funds.

Jeong Eun-bo says he will open an era of a 5,000 KOSPI, introducing 24-hour trading and virtual asset ETFs.