Kakao, Circle Join Forces on South Korean Digital-Asset Infrastructure

Kakao Group spans messaging, consumer payments and online banking, giving it a broad distribution base through Kakao, Kakao Pay and Kakao Bank. Circle Internet Group issues USDC, one of the world’s leading dollar-backed stablecoins. The partnership could combine Kakao’s domestic platform and financial-services reach with Circle’s blockchain and global payments expertise as South Korea develops infrastructure for won-denominated digital assets and tokenized finance.

On July 23, 2026, Kakao, Kakao Pay and Kakao Bank said they had signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with Circle to explore blockchain-based payment infrastructure and digital-asset technology. The companies will study won-denominated stablecoins, tokenized financial services and cross-border payment rails linking public blockchains with traditional financial networks. They disclosed no investment amount, product launch or timetable, leaving the agreement at an exploratory stage.