South Korea
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KakaoBank
Korean internet bank. FSC. KDIC KRW 50m. KakaoTalk is distribution, not the deposit.
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7.0Solid
AlternativesFive questions
At a glance
Is it a bank?
Yes — Internet bank — KakaoBank Corp. (FSC / FSS). Still read the entity on the statement.
If it fails?
KDIC up to KRW 50 million per depositor per bank
Salary?
Not listed. An IBAN or sort code is not automatically a salary account.
Open from abroad?
Residency and KYC are gated. An App Store listing is not proof you can onboard.
Monthly fee
KRW 0 core pitch — confirm live
Account number
No IBAN-class local rail on this file.
NeoBankDB Verdict
Licence first · score second
7.0
/10 · Solid
KakaoBank Corp. is an FSC internet bank. KDIC up to KRW 50 million. Seongnam. KakaoTalk is how you open it. The deposit is KakaoBank, not the yellow chat bubble. Toss Bank and K Bank sit in the same licence class. Directories that file this next to a prepaid card are illiterate.
What it is
Launched 2017 after the 2016 licence wave. Listed 323410. Directories lowercase it Kakao. This desk writes KakaoBank Corp. and leaves KakaoPay in the payments bucket.
Best for: South Korea residents who want an FSC internet bank with KDIC, not a messenger wallet.
Last checked 2026-08-30. Not advice.
What it does well
- +Named internet bank
- +KDIC
- +Scale
- +Listed
What to watch
- −Korea-resident / ID
- −Korean App Store is mixed (~3.3)
- −Not a travel IBAN
- −Kakao group is not the scheme
Who holds the money
The account
- Platforms
- iOS · Android
- Account types
- KRW current · savings
- Partner bank
- KakaoBank Corp.
- Minimum balance
- KRW 0
- Lowest monthly fee
- Digital SKU — confirm live
- Who can open
- South Korea residents
- Availability
- South Korea
How money actually moves
- Who holds the cash
- Bank balance
- How money moves
- In-app ledger
- Built for
- Personal
- Settlement
- App-ledger instant; bank rails per corridor
- Freeze risk
- Bank-grade; still not freeze-proof
- Card
- KakaoBank lists a physical card and a virtual card on mastercard, plus Google Pay. Confirm the live product in the app — a card is not a current account.
Licence first
Safety
KDIC up to KRW 50 million per depositor per bank
Who holds the money: KakaoBank Corp.
- FSC / FSSInternet bank — KakaoBank Corp. · South Korea
Fees
- Monthly
- KRW 0 core pitch — confirm live
- FX markup
- Bank tariff / overseas SKUs
- ATM
- KakaoBank / network
- Interest
- Deposit products — rates move
Features
- –IBAN
- –Fee-free core
- –Multi-currency
- –Apple Pay
- ✓Google Pay
- ✓Virtual card
- ✓Physical card
- –Metal card
- –Crypto
- –Stocks
- –Business
- –Kids
- –Halal
- Korean won current / savings
- KakaoTalk onboarding
- KDIC bank
- Listed
- Lending SKUs
Score
- Safety25%
- 8.6
- Fees20%
- 8.2
- Features15%
- 8.0
- App15%
- 6.2
- Global15%
- 3.0
- Support10%
- 6.4
Change log
Full logLicence
FSC internet-only bank, KDIC KRW 50m
South Korea residents. Kakao is distribution, not the deposit.
Available in
Straight answers
FAQ
01Is KakaoBank a bank?
KakaoBank holds a banking-style licence (FSC / FSS). Still read the legal entity on the statement, not the app icon.
02How is money protected?
KDIC up to KRW 50 million per depositor per bank
03Where is KakaoBank available?
We list 1 market on NeoBankDB. Residency and onboarding rules still sit with KakaoBank.
04Card and wallets?
KakaoBank lists a physical card and a virtual card on mastercard, plus Google Pay. Confirm the live product in the app — a card is not a current account.
05Can I open KakaoBank remotely?
Residency and KYC are gated. An App Store listing is not proof you can onboard from your country.
Ratings and reviews
No published user reviews yet. The NeoBankDB score still comes from licence, fees, and the product — not from an empty star average.
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