Top 10 Korean Fintech apps & sites
In a digital era where financial landscapes are evolving rapidly, Koreans take that as an opportunity. Ookla, the connoisseur in internet speed assessment as of 2022, disclosed that South Korea’s mean fixed broadband velocity secured the fifteenth spot globally, while the average mobile speed ranked third globally as of July 2022. Thanks to a well-established FinTech infrastructure and resources, and has already incorporated digital financial services into daily life, South Korea’s fintech market has grown significantly. For more obvious visibility, let’s delve into Top 10 Korean Fintech apps that are shaping the game of Fintech in Korea.
Toss – 10 million downloads – Leader of Korean fintech apps
- Toss was launched in 2015 by startup Viva Republica and quickly gained popularity, especially among younger demographics.
- Toss offers payment services for online and offline purchases. It has partnered with many major Korean retailers, food delivery services, taxis, etc. to enable seamless mobile payments.
- As of 2022, Toss has over 20 million users in South Korea. It has become the country’s largest fintech app.
Monimo – 10 million downloads – another leader of Korean fintech apps
- Monimo is a finance management app launched in 2018 by Samsung Card that focuses on personal finance and money management.
- It automatically categorizes user’s transaction data from linked cards/bank accounts and provides spending insights and budget tracking. The app can analyze subscriptions, detect unnecessary charges, provide customized alerts, and optimize money transfers. Additional features include investment analysis, comprehensive tax services, and micro-savings tools.
- Monimo had over 10 million users on Play Store, making it a popular finance management fintech app in South Korea.
Source: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.ib.android.smcard
Kakao Pay – 10 million downloads – Top 3 of Korean fintech apps
- Kakao Pay was launched in 2014 by Kakao Corp.
- It utilizes KakaoTalk’s huge user base and ecosystem to provide seamless mobile payments and financial services. Key features include P2P transfers, merchant payments, bill payments, rewards, and an integrated wallet.
- Kakao Pay has over 40 million registered users due to KakaoTalk’s dominance in Korea. It handles over 30 trillion won in transactions annually.
Source: https://t1.kakaocdn.net/kakaocorp/admin/ir/results-announcement/5326.pdf
NH All One Bank – 10 million downloads
- NH All One Bank is a mobile banking app launched in 2018 by NH NongHyup Bank. It was one of the first attempts by a major Korean bank to offer mobile-first fintech services and compete with startup fintech apps.
- NH All One Bank provides a full suite of banking services including deposits, loans, remittances, insurance, investments and credit cards. In addition, useful daily life features like AI expense analysis and financial planning tools are incorporated in the app.
- By the end of 2021, NH All One Bank app had over 10 million downloads, making it one of the most used fintech apps by an incumbent Korean bank.
Source: https://www.hankyung.com/article/2023111592341
KB Pay – 10 million downloads
- KB Pay is a mobile payment app launched in 2019 by KB Kookmin Bank, one of the largest banks in South Korea.
- KB Pay provides easy P2P money transfers, mobile payments at merchants, and mobile bill payments all in one app. It also has partnership integrations with major retailers, food delivery services, transportation apps and other digital services in Korea for seamless in-app payments.
- By 2021, KB Pay had acquired over 10 million users, making it a leading fintech payment app from a major traditional bank in Korea.
Source: https://www.businesspost.co.kr/BP?command=article_view&num=319435
Kbank – 5 million downloads
- Kbank is a digital-only bank launched in 2017 by KT Corporation, a major telecom company in South Korea. It was one of the first digital banks in Korea with no physical branches.
- Kbank offers a full range of banking services via seamless mobile apps and web platforms. Services include deposits, loans, payments, remittances and investments.
- As a digital bank, Kbank has lower overhead costs which translates to higher deposit rates and lower loan rates for customers.
- Kbank has acquired over 5 million users, making it one of the largest digital banks in Korea.
Source: https://www.kbanknow.com/ib20/mnu/PBKMAN000000
NH Pay – 5 million downloads
- NH Pay is a mobile payment app launched in 2019 by NH NongHyup Bank, one of the major traditional banks in South Korea.
- NH Pay provides easy P2P money transfers, mobile payments at merchants, and mobile bill payments all in one app.
- By 2021, NH Pay had acquired over 5 million users, making it a leading fintech payment app from a major traditional bank in Korea.
Hana One Q – 5 million downloads
- Hana One Q is a mobile banking app launched in 2018 by Hana Financial Group
- The app provides a comprehensive range of banking, credit card, investment, and insurance services all in one place. Its useful features include AI-powered personalized finance recommendations, automated advisory services, and predictive budgeting tools.
- By 2021, Hana One Q had over 5 million users, making it a popular fintech app.
Source: https://www.hanafn.com/ir_ebook/2021/data/HFG_2021AR(Full_ver).pdf?2022082201
Samjjeomsam – 1 million downloads
- Samjjeomsam was launched in 2019 by startup Samjje Company and quickly became popular for its microsavings services.
- It allows users to automatically save small amounts on a regular basis. This caters to younger Koreans who want to build their savings. The app uses AI and algorithms to analyze user spending patterns and recommend customized savings plans based on the user’s financial profile. Moreover, Samjjeomsam’s additional services include financial planning tools, budget tracking features, and personalized finance advice and recommendations.
- Samjjeomsam has over 5 million users, making it one of the top fintech apps in Korea, especially among millennials and Gen Z demographics.
Source: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.jobis.szs&hl=ko&gl=US
트래블월렛 – TravelPay – 1 million downloads
- TravelPay is a mobile payment and financial services app launched in 2018 by travel tech firm Very Good Tour. It is designed specifically for travel, offering payments, money exchange, and other travel financial services in one platform.
- Key features include multi-currency support, no foreign transaction fees, optimized exchange rates, mobile phone top-ups abroad, and travel insurance.
- It targets tech-savvy travelers who want the convenience of cashless payments and card-free travel.
- As of 2022, TravelPay has over 1.5 million users and aims to expand across Asia Pacific.
Source: https://www.travel-wallet.com/
By Ly Dang Huy