KakaoBank posts record profit for 2025 on higher non-interest income

KakaoBank's headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province / Yonhap

KakaoBank, Korea’s largest internet-only lender, delivered another year of record earnings in 2025 as rapid expansion in fee-based and platform-related revenue more than offset weaker interest income, the bank said Wednesday.

Operating profit reached 649.4 billion won ($448 million) last year, up 7 percent from 2024, while net profit climbed 9.1 percent to 480.3 billion won.

Although income from interest-bearing assets declined amid a challenging rate environment, robust growth in non-interest segments drove overall performance higher, the bank said.

Non-interest income surged 22.4 percent year-on-year to 1.09 trillion won, surpassing the 1 trillion won mark for the first time on an annual basis. This category accounted for more than 35 percent of the bank’s total operating revenue.

Within non-interest income, fee- and platform-related revenue amounted to 310.5 billion won, marking a 2.9 percent increase from a year earlier. Growth was supported by expanding loan and investment platforms as well as higher advertising-related income.

Meanwhile, the bank’s deposit base continued to expand steadily, with total deposits reaching 68.3 trillion won as of the end of 2025, an increase of more than 13.3 trillion won from a year earlier, driven by sustained inflows into demand and savings accounts.

Outstanding loans totaled 46.9 trillion won, reflecting growth in policy-backed financing for genuine funding, inclusive financial products targeting lower-income borrowers and loans to small businesses.

The customer base also continued to expand, with the lender adding 1.82 million new customers during 2025 to end the year with 26.7 million users. Monthly active users reached 20 million in the fourth quarter, an increase of more than 1 million from a year earlier.

KakaoBank said it will maintain momentum in deposit growth this year by introducing a range of customer-friendly services aimed at attracting new users, including foreign currency accounts and solutions tailored for overseas residents.

Leveraging its differentiated strengths, the bank has set a goal of reaching 30 million customers and raising total deposits to 90 trillion won by 2027.

“We delivered consistent growth last year despite heightened uncertainty and volatility in the external environment, driven by our unique competitive advantages,” a KakaoBank official said. “Building on stable growth, we will continue to promote inclusive finance and roll out innovative financial services for customers this year, with the aim of transforming KakaoBank into a full-fledged financial platform.”