Coocon is moving to expand its business by positioning global payments, stablecoins and AI-based data services as its next growth drivers. Revenue fell due to the impact of lending regulations, but the trend of improved profitability continued. Its strategy is to accelerate the build-out of overseas payment infrastructure and digital asset-based businesses.

Coocon said on May 22 it held its 'regular IR for the first quarter of 2026' on May 21 and disclosed its first-quarter results and business strategy for the second half.

On a consolidated basis, Coocon posted first-quarter revenue of 16.01 billion won, down 7.5 percent from a year earlier. Operating profit rose 1.9 percent to 4.47 billion won. The operating margin was 27.9 percent.

The company explained that some transaction volume fell due to policy effects such as lending regulations in the financial sector, but it defended profitability through expanding fee-based businesses and a cost-efficiency strategy.

The data segment posted revenue of 7.8 billion won and operating profit of 2.54 billion won. It is moving to diversify its profit base by expanding new data product lines, including a market-price information API and an insurance planner qualification verification API.

The payment segment posted revenue of 8.21 billion won and operating profit of 1.93 billion won. Profitability improved as it secured customers for real-name verification virtual accounts mainly among major PG and VAN companies and as it expanded supply of a regtech package based on eKYC and AML.

Coocon expects a recovery in firm-banking transactions by major big tech and PG clients after the second quarter and an expansion of advance settlement services. It also plans to expand its overseas payments business by strengthening links with global payment networks such as Alipay and Indonesia's QRIS.

In the second half, it will also accelerate a stablecoin-based payments business. Coocon is expanding cooperation with global payment companies and is pushing to join the Circle Payments Network (CPN).

It is also preparing USDC- and USDT-based stablecoin payments and the establishment of a Singapore subsidiary. The strategy is to respond pre-emptively to changes in the global digital payments market.

It is also strengthening its AI-based data business. Coocon is pushing to join the Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF) to take a leading position in global AI standards, and plans to expand into data sales and brokerage based on financial MyData and personal information management specialist institutions.

Coocon CEO Jong-hyun Kim (김종현) said, "This year we will focus on securing new growth engines centered on global payments, stablecoins and AI data businesses," adding, "We will foster the global payments business as a core business."