South Korea’s KB Kookmin Card has partnered with Japan’s SBI Holdings and two cybersecurity companies to test AI identity verification and explore stablecoin payments between the two countries.
The agreement, announced on October 13, brings together KB Kookmin Card, SBI Holdings, South Korean cybersecurity firm Everspin and their joint venture, SBI Everspin. The companies will study how AI agents can securely access financial services and make authorized payments on behalf of users.
One key goal is to explore stablecoin payments for Japanese tourists visiting South Korea. The proposed service could allow travelers to pay participating merchants using digital assets, although the companies have not announced a launch date or confirmed which stablecoins would be supported. crypto
The partners will also examine how AI agents could connect with KB Kookmin Card’s existing KB Pay platform. The system would check whether users have authorized an AI agent to make payments and whether each transaction falls within the permissions and spending limits they have set.
The companies plan to study payment processing, refunds, cancellations and fraud prevention before deciding whether the service is ready for commercial use.
At the center of the project is KYA Trust Gateway, a security platform developed by SBI Everspin and Everspin. The technology is designed to verify an AI agent’s identity, confirm that it has permission to act for a specific user and check which financial transactions it is allowed to perform.
The first tests will examine how AI agents operating from Japan can verify their identities when accessing services in South Korea. The companies will also assess how to enforce user permissions and transaction limits across different financial systems.
KB Kookmin Card plans to study how these checks could work with KB Pay. Before introducing automated payments, the company will need to assess user approval, access controls and safeguards against unauthorized transactions.
Everspin said its existing cybersecurity experience would support the project. The company reported approximately 25 billion cumulative threat detections across more than 150 financial institutions in South Korea and overseas. These figures reflect the company’s reported security operations and do not represent confirmed attacks against the new platform.
The latest agreement follows another SBI Group initiative focused on stablecoin payments between Japan and South Korea.
On October 1, SBI DigiTrust, a subsidiary of SBI Group, announced a joint test with South Korea’s NICE Information & Telecommunication and blockchain infrastructure company DSRV. The project is examining how Japanese tourists could pay South Korean merchants using QR codes and stablecoins.
NICE provides payment infrastructure to approximately 1.2 million merchants in South Korea, while DSRV contributes blockchain expertise. SBI DigiTrust is handling financial and regulatory considerations related to the Japanese market.
The companies expect to complete their tests by the end of December 2026. However, they have not committed to launching a commercial service.
SBI Group has also explored blockchain-based remittances and settlements between Japan and South Korea through earlier research with SBI Ripple Asia and DSRV.
KB Kookmin Card has been developing other ways to connect digital assets with conventional payments. In March 2026, it outlined a proposed hybrid credit card system involving Avalanche and OpenAsset that would connect stablecoin wallets with traditional card payments.
SBI Holdings has also expanded its stablecoin work 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, with further arrangements needed for use on public blockchains.
The group has also participated in trials examining stablecoin settlement for tokenized securities.
The new partnership with KB Kookmin Card combines these digital payment efforts with a growing focus on AI security. The companies will first test whether AI agents can verify their identities, follow user permissions and complete authorized financial transactions safely.
No commercial launch date, testing budget or final service details have been announced. The partners will use the results to assess whether AI-powered payments and cross-border stablecoin services can be introduced in Japan and South Korea.
