A four-party pact has been finalized by South Korea’s KB Kookmin Card alongside Japan’s SBI Holdings and two cybersecurity firms to evaluate AI-driven identity checks and research cross-border stablecoin transactions.
KB Kookmin Card announced on October 13 a memorandum of understanding with SBI Holdings, South Korean cybersecurity firm Everspin, and their joint venture, SBI Everspin. Together, the partners will test how autonomous AI agents can safely execute authorized financial tasks for users. Additionally, digital asset payments are being explored to let Japanese travelers easily spend stablecoins at participating South Korean retailers.
SBI Stablecoin Payment Deal Targets Japanese Tourists
Through the new deal, KB Kookmin Card and SBI Holdings will assess payment systems that link Japanese consumers directly to South Korean businesses. Under one suggested model, cross-border digital asset options, such as stablecoins, are being evaluated to help Japanese tourists seamlessly pay for goods and services throughout their trips.
The partners plan to analyze how transaction flows will function across current financial networks, focusing on clearing, cancellations, and customer refunds. Their talks will address risk management alongside operational requirements needed ahead of any public rollout. At this stage, no specific launch timeline or supported stablecoin has been announced by the involved firms.
KB Kookmin Card will assess if its KB Pay service can process automated transactions that AI agents initiate for shoppers. Under the proposed concept, the system verifies user consent and confirms that the automated assistant holds proper clearance to complete purchases within pre-approved spending caps.
A corporate spokesperson noted that the alliance will trial the infrastructure required for AI assistants to conduct transactions safely across various platforms. The official added that the combined efforts are designed to offer consumers in South Korea and Japan seamless, highly protected digital payment solutions.
SBI Holdings stated that it will merge its deep financial sector expertise with the AI and security capabilities of its partner firms. Insights into potential commercial offerings, including stablecoin transaction networks, are expected to be gained by the Japanese financial group through these trials.
AI identity checks will use KYA Trust Gateway
At the core of the collaboration lies KYA Trust Gateway, a protective platform that verifies the identity and authority of AI agents. The underlying framework was conceived by SBI Everspin, which actively builds the system alongside Everspin.
Moving away from standard user verification, the prospective mechanism evaluates if an AI assistant holds explicit authorization from a person to carry out specific duties. It confirms the bot’s credentials, available features, and pre-set spending boundaries. These verification checks will be enforced by the partners before automated systems can execute any monetary operations.
In the opening trial stage, the participating firms will evaluate how Japan-based AI assistants verify their credentials when connecting to South Korean platforms. Subsequently, delegated authorization will be evaluated by the project team to determine permissible transaction types and ensure agent permissions satisfy system criteria.
KB Kookmin Card’s intended rollout on KB Pay will feature in the follow-up assessment phase. The partners intend to review user authorization steps, transaction caps, and security protocols before deciding whether automated payments can be launched commercially.
According to Everspin, its technical development builds upon years of safeguarding financial institutions against sophisticated cyber threats. The firm noted that attempts involving an AI-driven attack technique called ARTEX have been identified in live financial service networks.
Everspin reported roughly 25 billion cumulative security threat detections spanning over 150 domestic and international financial organizations. These self-reported operational figures serve as baseline metrics and are not associated with confirmed security breaches on the new KYA Trust Gateway system.
An Everspin spokesperson stated that the firm plans to leverage its security background to validate AI assistants and their transaction credentials. Broader financial tasks involving automated agents across international borders are expected to be addressed through this cross-border collaboration.
SBI Expands Stablecoin Payment Trials Between Japan and South Korea
The October 13 deal builds upon a separate cross-border stablecoin initiative that involves SBI Group. On October 1, a joint verification initiative was announced by its subsidiary SBI DigiTrust alongside South Korea’s NICE Information & Telecommunication and blockchain tech provider DSRV.
The participating companies are trialing a framework enabling Japanese visitors to pay South Korean vendors via QR codes. Crucial payment workflows—ranging from transaction routing and fund transfers to settlement logic and inter-bank network links—are being evaluated under the pilot initiative.
NICE operates payment infrastructure powering nearly 1.2 million South Korean retail locations. Under the venture, the company offers deep merchant processing capabilities, while DSRV provides blockchain infrastructure support. Regulatory and financial requirements tied to Japan’s market are managed by SBI DigiTrust.
The trio anticipates wrapping up preliminary testing prior to the end of December 2026. While no commercial rollout has been guaranteed by the group, they plan to use initial findings to determine regulatory feasibility.
The project forms a core component of SBI’s cross-border QR stablecoin initiative, which has evaluated real-world merchant workflows alongside technical requirements for moving funds across both nations. Additionally, cross-border payment protocols are being tested to ensure seamless compliance and settlement processing.
SBI Group has actively pursued several digital payment initiatives throughout 2026. Back in February, a joint research venture was confirmed by SBI Ripple Asia and DSRV to explore blockchain-driven remittance and settlement channels linking Japan and South Korea. The study concentrates on integrating blockchain infrastructure into existing payment frameworks while adhering to regional regulatory mandates.
KB Kookmin Card Continues Developing Stablecoin Products
For KB Kookmin Card, the latest agreement builds upon an earlier venture alongside Avalanche and OpenAsset. Back in March 2026, plans for a hybrid credit card framework were introduced by the company to connect stablecoin wallets with traditional payment networks.
Under the proposed setup, consumers could settle transactions with digital assets prior to drawing on standard credit lines. Established credit card workflows are preserved by the architecture while offering a viable avenue to spend stablecoins across compatible merchant networks.
The new initiative followed a January patent submission covering the proposed settlement architecture. Through its hybrid stablecoin payment venture, significant opportunities to blend blockchain-based assets with existing card networks are being explored by the company.
Meanwhile, SBI Holdings has maintained its momentum in expanding Japan’s stablecoin infrastructure. In June 2026, the group introduced JPYSC, a yen-backed stablecoin created alongside Startale Group and issued by SBI Shinsei Trust Bank. Early account access was limited by the consortium to SBI VC Trade users, pending broader rollout across public blockchain networks.
The Japanese financial group has actively pursued settlement experiments alongside peer institutions. On October 6, the completion of the first two phases of Project Trinity was announced by SBI Securities and its industry partners, marking a key milestone in testing stablecoin settlement mechanisms for tokenized securities.
For the newly announced KB Kookmin Card partnership, the four entities have omitted budget details, testing schedules, and target launch timelines. Potential commercial pathways will be evaluated by the participants after reviewing early technical results, with future applications potentially spanning both financial and non-financial domains.
