KakaoBank Turns Overseas Expansion Into Real Profits
Hey Digital Banking Fanatic!
KakaoBank just booked a ₩93.3bn valuation (approximately $68.4 million) gain after its Indonesian partner Superbank went public.
The uplift will hit Q1 results, marking one of the clearest financial payoffs yet from the bank’s Southeast Asia expansion.
The gain comes after Superbank’s IPO triggered a change in accounting treatment, moving KakaoBank’s stake to mark-to-market. Translation: overseas bets are no longer just strategic.
This is another data point in a broader shift...
Digital banks aren’t just exporting apps anymore. They’re exporting full operating models and capturing value across borders.
And Europe is moving in the same direction...
Wero is starting to simplify how money moves across the continent. Instant, account-to-account payments. One standard. Built on SEPA. Less fragmentation, more scale.
Last month, on January 8, I went much deeper into what this transition really means for European payments infrastructure. Is this topic on your radar? Tap to read it below. It’s definitely worth a read, and I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
👉 The iDEAL to Wero Transition: What 2026 Will Teach Us About Building Payment Infrastructure in Europe.
If you’re tracking how Digital Banking infrastructure is consolidating globally, the updates below are worth your time 👇 I'll be back tomorrow in your inbox.
Cheers,
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NEWS
🇱🇺 Wero is now available at Banking Circle. The initiative is designed to simplify cross-border payments and scale adoption across Europe, aligning with Banking Circle’s role as a modern-infrastructure bank supporting payment service providers as new schemes and volumes emerge.
🇮🇩 KakaoBank gains 93.3 billion won from Superbank listing in Indonesia. The gain, which represents more than 20% of KakaoBank’s 2024 net income on a pre-tax basis, underscores the bank’s strategy of enhancing corporate value through overseas expansion and continued cooperation with Superbank.
🇫🇷 Sumeria partners with Mistral AI. The company has launched a simplified bank transfer feature that uses Mistral AI’s latest OCR models to allow users to initiate payments directly from documents without manual data entry. Read more
🇩🇴 Qik launches remittances to receive money from abroad. With this feature, the bank said that funds sent from abroad are credited in less than 30 minutes. This benefit applies to remittances from the United States and other countries whose remittance companies operate with Visa Direct.
🇰🇷 Upbit partner KBank files stablecoin wallet trademarks ahead of IPO. In its IPO registration statement, the bank said it plans to use proceeds from the offering to accelerate its digital asset business, among other initiatives. Continue reading
🇨🇦 Neo Financial secures $68.5m in oversubscribed Canadian-led round. Neo said the capital will be used to launch its inaugural securitization program. By securitizing its credit assets, Neo is adopting a capital-efficient funding model long used by large banks, allowing it to scale its lending portfolio without relying exclusively on equity-funded growth.
🇬🇧 Clear Junction launches onChain stablecoin pay-in service. onChain Stablecoin Pay-In is designed for banks, electronic money institutions, and money service businesses. Through their own apps or online banking environments, clients can offer their customers stablecoin-based prefunding while maintaining a fiat-first operational experience.
🇬🇧 Finastra launches cloud-native tool for commercial lending. The platform is aimed at helping lenders replace manual workflows with a more scalable and integrated cloud-based approach. The solution uses modular deployment and licensing, allowing it to be deployed on its own or alongside other components within the LaserPro Lending Platform.
🇺🇸 Merchant Rentals partners with FreedomPay to deliver flexible financing solutions for merchants. By collaborating with Merchant Rentals, FreedomPay can now offer merchants access to tailored leasing and financing options for POS technology, meeting growing demand for flexibility and affordability in the retail and hospitality sectors.
🇺🇸 United FinTech Americas head Mark Lawrence departs. Lawrence played a key role in United FinTech’s early growth and expansion in the Americas, describing his departure as the end of a successful start-up chapter. He said he plans to take time off with family before pursuing his next professional opportunity.
🇺🇸 Superform expands to the U.S. with mobile app launch for a user-owned neobank. The app is designed for users who want a simpler way to grow their money without the stress of managing wallets, understanding protocols, or navigating multiple chains. Users can create an account, onramp with fiat, and start earning in minutes.
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