[DigitalToday reporter Lee Ji-young] Big Tech, financial companies and payment firms are joining hands one after another with global blockchain companies, widening their steps in digital-asset businesses.

Kakao Group and Toss and Toss Bank are cooperating with Circle to review stablecoin-based payment and settlement infrastructure, won-based digital assets and the potential for tokenised financial services.

Moves are also gaining momentum to expand digital assets into everyday payments and cross-border remittances by linking domestic platforms with global stablecoin infrastructure.

Banks are applying overseas blockchain payment networks to import and export corporate payments and developing cross-country digital-asset remittance and payment models.

Payment companies are also implementing fast stablecoin payments and on-chain automated settlement, widening the potential for combining existing financial and payment infrastructure with blockchain.

• Kakao Group-Circle cooperate on digital-asset infrastructure including a won stablecoin • Toss-Toss Bank review stablecoin payment infrastructure with Circle • KB Kookmin Bank launches import-export payment service using JPMorgan blockchain network • NHN KCP processes stablecoin payments in about 1 second, including cross-border remittances • "Corporate market must be opened safely"; building trusted digital-asset infrastructure remains a task • K Bank cooperates with Hong Kong-based HashKey Group on digital-asset remittance and payments

The top four financial holding groups posted combined net profit of more than 11 trillion won in the first half of this year, setting another record high.

Improving results at non-bank affiliates including securities, insurance and cards supported growth, in addition to stable net interest income at banks.

Securities firms emerged as a key driver of expanding group profits, helped by higher stock-market turnover and a brokerage boom.

KB Financial kept its position as the leading financial group, backed by a high profit contribution from non-bank units.

Other financial holding groups also lifted net profit on the recovery in results at their securities affiliates and higher fee income.

The strong first-half results improved overall report cards for financial holding groups, but governance variables are expected to come into focus in the second half.

Whether the heads of the five major banks, whose terms expire at year-end, are reappointed is also expected to hinge on results, internal controls and outcomes of organisational overhauls.

• Top 4 financial groups enter an 11 trillion won net profit era as competition shifts from banks to capital markets • Financial holding groups' securities units post about 1.41 trillion won net profit in the second quarter on a brokerage boom • Strength of non-banks: KB keeps 'leading finance' spot in the first half • NH Investment & Securities posts record second-quarter results; first-half net profit nears 1 trillion won • Securities firms become profit engines for financial groups, driving performance on the brokerage boom • Governance variables added to management scorecards to decide fate of five major bank chiefs

Toss Group became the first domestic Big Tech firm to be designated as a financial conglomerate group, bringing it under a group-level supervisory framework by financial authorities.

Application of key rules under the new designation will be postponed for 6 months, but a system to manage risk transfer and internal transactions among affiliates is expected to get under way in line with Big Tech's expansion into finance.

Moves continued in the electronic finance sector to strengthen risk management and internal controls in response to expanding payment markets and more complex transaction structures.

As fintech's business scope expands across banking, securities and payments, establishing soundness and consumer protection systems at group and industry levels is emerging as a key task alongside growth.

• Toss becomes first Big Tech designated as a financial conglomerate group, enters group supervision framework • Korea Fintech Industry Association-Financial Supervisory Service inspect payment risks and internal controls in electronic finance sector

Webcash is expanding its financial AI agent business as it participates consecutively in corporate and digital banking build projects at NH NongHyup Bank and IBK Industrial Bank of Korea.

The core is combining its own AI technology with existing corporate cash management solutions to convert complex inquiry and analysis tasks into a conversational service.

The company plans to step up its push into the B2B financial AI market by increasing AI agent builds for financial firms based on its projects with the two banks.

• Webcash participates in IBK Industrial Bank of Korea digital platform and AI banking build • Webcash builds an AI agent for NH NongHyup Bank corporate banking

A public grand debate on real estate policy held last week brought blind spots in household loan regulations and protecting end users to the fore as key issues for the financial sector.

President Lee Jae-myung (이재명) pointed to problems in which tighter volume controls also block balance loans for existing contract holders. He said transition measures should be reviewed, and financial authorities also decided to discuss improvements with banks.

He also instructed the Financial Services Commission to check and improve systems on the possibility of using high-priced homes as collateral for business loans to bypass mortgage lending rules.

Financial authorities decided to lower hurdles for applying preferential loan rates, including recognising debit card performance the same as credit cards, to reduce burdens on financial consumers.

Delinquency rates on bank loans rose to 0.67 percent and delinquency rates on loans to small and medium-sized companies topped 1 percent, increasing the task of achieving both end-user protection and household debt and soundness management.

• End users blocked from balance loans by loan 'shutdown'; President Lee says transition measures should be reviewed • Bypassing rules via business loans even if high-priced home loans are blocked; President Lee orders FSC to check • Hurdles for preferential bank loan rates to be lowered as debit card performance recognised equally • Bank loan delinquency rate rises to 0.67 percent; SME delinquency rate tops 1 percent

The financial sector is also accelerating transformation across sales, operations processing, data use and payment infrastructure, centred on AI agents.

In banking, moves stood out to develop AI agents for frontline use and expand data-driven sales and internal work automation.

Fintech companies also moved to build environments where AI can directly use financial data and began pushing into the B2B financial AI market including corporate banking and financial management.

In payments, attempts continued to connect global payment standards with financial infrastructure so AI agents can carry out transactions without human intervention.

Competition among financial companies over AI is expanding beyond advanced customer counselling services to a stage that changes sales strategies, work structures and payment methods themselves.

• Woori Bank to strengthen data and AI-based sales in second half, expand collaboration among business groups • Webcash to push into financial AI market, targets 50 billion won in revenue by 2030 • Shinhan Bank unveils 21 in-house developed AI agents, advances financial AX • Coocon opens 'AI MCP dedicated product hall', unveils 30 financial data products • Hecto Financial joins global AI payment standard 'x402', accelerates AI agent payments • KB Kookmin Bank names AI expert Professor Jeong Yoon-kyung as outside director candidate

Other key moves in finance and fintech were also compiled.

KB Financial created 1.66 trillion won in social value in the first half and expanded support for financial consumers, including introducing an integrated inquiry service for dormant deposits and insurance payouts. Shinhan Financial affiliates also strengthened customer touchpoints and support for financial welfare by cooperating on university financial services and expanding asset management services for corporate clients.

• KB Financial creates 1.66 trillion won in social value in first half • KB Kookmin Bank offers integrated inquiry for dormant deposits and insurance payouts across about 100 financial institutions • Shinhan Bank and University of Seoul cooperate on university operations and student financial support • Shinhan Investment & Securities 'Workplace WM' partner companies top 200

Hana Financial, together with financial authorities, fostered young financial talent and expanded funding for guarantee-backed loans for local small merchants. Woori Bank also strengthened win-win finance for small and medium-sized companies by supporting loans and business succession consulting for partner companies.

• Hana Financial and Financial Supervisory Service produce 54 young financial talents; cumulative graduates reach 171 • Hana Bank contributes 5.5 billion won to Incheon Credit Guarantee Foundation to expand guaranteed loans for small merchants • Woori Bank supports loans and succession consulting for Taekwang Industrial partner companies

Internet-only banks expanded exchanges with overseas financial companies and moved to attract customers with high-interest deposit events. They also introduced mid-rate loans for borrowers with low to mid credit, strengthening product competitiveness and inclusive finance at the same time.

• KakaoBank introduces UI, UX and agile organisational culture to UAE delegation • K Bank offers event with up to 5 percent annual rate on 'CodeK time deposit' • Toss and SBI Savings Bank launch mid-rate loan for low to mid credit borrowers

The fintech industry is increasing accessibility and precision of financial services by expanding the investor base and using data on small merchants. Acquisitions of alternative investment platforms also continued, accelerating business expansion spanning securities, credit evaluation and alternative investments.

• Kakao Pay Securities CEO Shin Ho-cheol says he will open an era of 20 million investors within 3 years • Korea Evaluation Information supplies Shinhan Bank with small merchant sales and purchase data • 8Percent acquires Apanda Partners, expanding alternative investment platform