Ripple Expands Korea Presence with Landmark Kbank Partnership

Ripple has entered a strategic partnership with Korea’s Kbank to roll out digital asset wallet infrastructure through Ripple Custody.

The collaboration highlights how regulated banks in South Korea are increasingly adopting blockchain services.

Key Points

• Ripple has partnered with Kbank to roll out institutional digital asset wallet infrastructure via Ripple Custody.
• The collaboration makes Kbank the first internet-only bank in South Korea to adopt Ripple’s institutional-grade custody and wallet infrastructure.
• Fiona Murray, MD for Ripple APAC, described South Korea as a strategic market in Ripple’s long-term expansion plans.
• Ripple has already expanded its footprint in Korea through partnerships with BDACS and Kyobo Life Insurance.

Kbank to Leverage Ripple Custody Solution

Under the partnership, Kbank will leverage Ripple Custody’s wallet-as-a-service infrastructure to strengthen its institutional digital asset operations. As a result, Kbank has become the first internet-only bank in South Korea to adopt Ripple’s institutional-grade custody infrastructure.

In addition, the collaboration will help Kbank expand its digital asset services without bearing the high costs, complexity, and operational burden of building in-house proprietary custody infrastructure.

Kbank already plays a central role in South Korea’s crypto ecosystem as the banking partner to several major digital asset exchanges, including Upbit. Through Ripple Custody, the bank aims to enhance its institutional blockchain capabilities while exploring new financial services tied to digital assets and stablecoin-powered remittances.

Ripple APAC MD Reacts as Company Expands Its Footprint in Korea

Commenting on the development, Fiona Murray, Managing Director for Asia-Pacific (APAC) at Ripple, expressed confidence in the partnership.

She described Kbank as a leading force in Korea’s digital transformation. Additionally, she emphasized that the bank is setting a new benchmark for regulated financial institutions by becoming the first internet-only bank to deploy Ripple Custody’s wallet-as-a-service infrastructure.

Furthermore, Murray described South Korea as a critical market in Ripple’s long-term strategy. According to her, institutional adoption across the country’s financial sector is approaching a major inflection point.

She also argued that Ripple is uniquely positioned to support this transition because it offers a complete infrastructure stack spanning custody, wallet services, and payments. The company has already expanded its footprint in South Korea through strategic partnerships with BDACS and Kyobo Life Insurance.

Ripple Custody

For context, Ripple developed Ripple Custody through its acquisitions of Standard Trust & Custody and Metaco. The company promotes the platform as a bank-grade, secure custody solution that enables institutions, banks, and fintech firms to store and manage cryptocurrencies and tokenized assets.

Since launching the platform, Ripple has continued to expand its institutional capabilities, particularly following its acquisition of Palisade.