The financial sector's dominant position is Kabang.This time, the card 'victory number'

Kakao Bank, an Internet bank that marks the third anniversary of its launch in July, has begun to expand its comprehensive financial services using the 10 million platform of customers. It has launched four new credit cards, and will also strengthen synergy effects with Kakao-affiliated services such as Kakao Pay starting this year. Industries are paying keen attention to whether Kakao Bank, which played a role as a catfish as it raised the level of mobile banking in the banking sector right after its launch, will succeed in new experiments.

"The net profit of 13.7 billion won achieved last year is very small compared to that of large banks," said Yoon Ho-young, CEO of Kabang at an online press conference on the 27th, but added, "We have laid the groundwork for moving into new areas in that we can handle major costs through profits."

Kabang received attention at an unprecedented rate among global digital banks last year as it posted an annual surplus two and a half years after its launch.

"The philosophy of starting products and services from the perspective of 'customers' will not change in the future," said CEO Yoon. "I want to grow bigger."

On this day, Kabang introduced 'Joint Credit Card' with four credit card companies including Shinhan, KB Kookmin, Samsung, and Citibank. Woo Il-sik, head of the task force (TF) of the Kabang Business Team, said, "We are pushing ahead with the project to provide all the services customers expect from the bank. The benefits will be planned by Kabang and each credit card company, but the overall work on recruiting customers will be done by Kabang and the overall work on card use and payment will be done by credit card companies."

All four new cards have simplified the application process. It is issued through simple information input and authentication in the Kabang application. This contrasts with the fact that online applications for cards usually require input of various information at least six levels. Above all, college students, social beginners, housewives, and freelancers, who have been unable to apply for and issue credit cards due to difficulties in proving their income, will be able to obtain cards easily thanks to the use of Kabang account information for screening requirements.

Analysts say that Kabang's new card business will be the first step in providing customized services through securing big data. This is because Kabang has opened the way for customers to secure vast amounts of payment data without directly acquiring a credit card business license. In addition to credit cards, Kabang is expanding platform services such as linked loans and stock account opening agency services that introduce second-tier loans to customers.

In a bid to enhance platform usability, the mobile app has also been revamped to 2.0 for the first time since its launch. Shin Sun-young, head of the Home Reorganization TF, who led the app reorganization, said, "It is a change that can be felt as you use it more than visible changes," adding, "We have reinforced the first screen editing and customer-tailored notification services to reflect customer needs."

On this day, 'strengthening synergy' between Kakao's financial services was also presented. Currently, Kakao Bank, which obtained licenses for Internet-specialized banks, and Comprehensive FinTech Kakao Pay, which has grown up based on messenger KakaoTalk, are in charge of two pillars of financial services. Although there was an atmosphere of drawing a line between the two services by emphasizing 'reading line' at the beginning of its launch, it is planning to push for 'connection' in earnest from this year.

Based on these strategies, Kabang will begin working-level preparations for the IPO in the second half of this year.