Jun Ji-hye, a reporter at the finance desk of The Korea Times, focuses primarily on economic policy and government agencies, mainly covering the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Budget and Planning, the National Tax Service and the Korea Customs Service. She previously covered financial authorities, including the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, and earlier worked on the political, city and business desks, reporting on a wide range of issues.
Kbank surpasses 14 mil. customers amid rapid growth
Kbank headquarters in Seoul / Courtesy of Kbank
By Jun Ji-hye
Kbank's total number of users has surpassed 14 million amid continued growth since beginning operations in April 2017, the bank said Thursday.
The internet-only bank reported that it attracted about 4.5 million new customers over the past year and a half, up from 9.53 million at the end of 2023. In 2025 alone, more than 1.26 million users joined the bank in the first five months, with an average of over 250,000 new signups per month.
This rapid expansion of its customer base has been accompanied by a significant increase in asset size. The bank’s total assets reached 30.39 trillion won ($22 billion) in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 42 percent rise from 21.42 trillion won at the end of 2023.
Kbank has seen balanced growth across age groups, with its customer base expanding steadily among both younger and older generations.
Since the end of 2023, the share of customers aged 20 and under grew from 22 percent to 24 percent, while those aged 50 and above rose from 22 percent to 28 percent. The proportion of users in their 30s and 40s remained steady at 24 percent each.
The firm explained that its growth has been driven by four core offerings — competitive refinancing loans, the "Plus Box" parking account, app-based earning services and debit cards featuring popular character designs.
Leveraging its growing customer base, Kbank is intensifying efforts to drive artificial intelligence (AI)-powered financial innovation and transform into an "AI-powered bank."
In February, the bank implemented a private large language model to streamline internal processes and established a foundation for expanding AI-driven services for customers.
In April, the company joined Project Pax, a Japan-led global initiative to test stablecoin-based international remittances.
"We will continue to utilize our strong AI capabilities to advance financial innovation by combining digital assets with cutting-edge technologies, delivering a more seamless and meaningful financial experience for our customers," a Kbank official said.