Kakao Pay Securities has unveiled a mid-to-long-term blueprint to leap forward as a “national investment platform,” leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and its global network. At a press conference held at the Conrad Hotel in Seoul’s Yeouido district on the 23rd, CEO Shin Ho-chul stated, “I want to create an era where 20 million people invest within three years,” presenting “one person, one AI investment agent,” “globalization of K-stocks,” and “Warm Capitalism” as the three core strategies.

Currently, the number of domestic stock investors in South Korea stands at approximately 14 million, according to the Korea Securities Depository, meaning only about one-third of the population participates in the capital market. Kakao Pay Securities has already secured over 8.5 million stock accounts, with 100,000 to 200,000 new accounts being added each month. However, rather than poaching customers from existing securities firms, the company plans to focus on broadening the base by attracting new customers with little investment experience.

“Two out of three South Korean citizens are outside the capital market, and the reason they don’t invest is not because they lack money, but because it seems difficult and scary,” CEO Shin emphasized. “The goal is not to sell a lot of accounts, but to create an era where more citizens can invest properly and grow their assets.”

AI Investment Agent to Launch Within the Year… “AI That Stands on the Customer’s Side”

At the heart of this vision is the “one person, one AI investment agent.” This service comprehensively analyzes an investor’s asset status, investment propensity, and life cycle to provide personalized information, ranging from financial education to stock analysis. Moving beyond simple product recommendations, it aims to be an “explainable AI” that explains the underlying data and reasoning process so that investors can make sound judgments.

Kakao Pay Securities plans to minimize hallucinations—a chronic problem with generative AI—by utilizing verified data, ontology, and knowledge graph technology. The company is also building its own AI infrastructure to enhance personal information protection and service stability, and is reviewing ways to connect the AI agent so it can be used on external messengers like KakaoTalk or Telegram.

“Our principle is to create AI that speaks on the customer’s side, not the securities firm’s side,” said CEO Shin. “If a product does not fit a customer’s investment profile, it will explain the reasons and guide them in the right direction.” The research team within the AI service center is focusing its capabilities on information curation and developing corporate analysis tools rather than traditional report production, with plans to debut some features within the year.

Kakao Bank Stock Trading Integration in August… Fractional Shares Also Introduced

Efforts to dramatically expand investor touchpoints are also accelerating. Starting in August, the Kakao Pay Securities stock trading service will be integrated into the Kakao Bank (323410) app. The idea is to leverage the low customer acquisition cost as a growth engine by naturally converting users of the two major platforms, Kakao Pay and Kakao Bank, into investors.

A fractional share trading service for domestic stocks will also be introduced next month. The aim is to lower the barrier to entry by creating an environment where investors can diversify into various stocks with small amounts of money. A plan to allow direct use of stock services within KakaoTalk is also under review.

Gifting ₩100,000 Worth of Stocks to Newlyweds and Newborns… A “Warm Capitalism” Experiment

On this day, Kakao Pay Securities formalized an unconventional stock gifting project under the name “Warm Capitalism.” Following a plan to give all newlyweds marrying this year up to ₩100,000 (approximately $68) worth of stocks per household as a congratulatory gift, the company also plans to gift ₩100,000 worth of stocks to every baby born in 2027 as a birthday present.

“Why only celebrate marriage? Don’t all babies being born also need their first asset in life?” CEO Shin said. “On the day a baby is born, the day someone gets married, the day they start their first job—Kakao Pay Securities will be there for all those beginnings.” The vision is to spread a culture of gifting stocks at major life moments, starting with marriage and birth, and extending to school admission, graduation, and employment.

Newlyweds can receive the benefit by obtaining a marriage relationship certificate from their KakaoTalk wallet and submitting it to Kakao Pay Securities. The distribution method for newborns will be announced separately at a later date. CEO Shin estimated the related budget to be around ₩20 billion (approximately $13.6 million). The underlying philosophy is that the experience of participating in the capital market from the moment of birth can serve as the next generation’s first asset and a natural form of financial education.

Brokering ‘K-Stocks’ in the U.S. by First Half of Next Year… Reviewing Tokenization for 24-Hour Trading

The key partner for overseas market expansion is Siebert Financial, a U.S. financial company listed on the Nasdaq. Founded in 1967, Siebert provides brokerage and asset management services in the U.S. and is a strategic investee in which Kakao Pay holds a 20% stake. CEO Shin also participates as a board member of Siebert, directly leading the collaboration between the two companies.

Kakao Pay Securities is joining hands with Siebert to build a “K-Stock Global Gateway.” By combining Kakao Pay Securities’ technology, investment content, and community capabilities with Siebert’s U.S. market network, the goal is to launch a platform in the first half of next year that allows U.S. investors easy access to South Korean stocks. The service will initially be offered to Siebert’s customers.

In particular, to solve the time difference issue between South Korea and the U.S., Siebert is reviewing a plan for 24-hour trading of South Korean stocks through tokenization within the U.S. regulatory framework. The idea is to allow U.S. investors to trade even when the South Korean stock market is closed. Kakao Pay Securities’ stance is to proceed cautiously under the principle of investor protection, following domestic and international legal reviews and consultations with financial authorities.

“What we are preparing is not a simple brokerage service, but a platform that provides content, user experience (UI/UX), and community together,” said CEO Shin. “We will create an environment where U.S. investors can properly understand the value of South Korean companies and invest in them.” On this day, Kaz Larson, the strategy lead overseeing Siebert’s veteran-specialized service, commented via a video message that it was “an exciting opportunity to grow the economic capabilities of both countries together.”

Business Diversification into IPO Underwriting and ETF LP… Leveraging Startup Network

Having recently secured an investment trading license, Kakao Pay Securities is also moving to expand its investment banking (IB) business. Over the next 6 to 12 months, it will focus on initial public offering (IPO) underwriting, and in the mid-to-long term, it plans to review the role of exchange-traded fund (ETF) liquidity provider (LP). In particular, it intends to focus on venture capital investment by leveraging the startup networks of Kakao Ventures and Kakao Investment.

“The Warm Capitalism that Kakao Pay Securities dreams of is ultimately about all citizens enjoying the benefits of the capital market,” said CEO Shin. “As South Korea’s largest financial investment platform, we will become a reliable investment partner for all citizens.”