Internet banks are poised to expand their services with Apple Pay ahead of major card companies, which have been more cautious. Kakao Bank and Toss Bank are preparing to integrate Apple Pay with their debit cards and aim to launch the service by the end of the year. While card companies are weighing the burden of additional fees, internet banks see this as an opportunity to attract iPhone users and increase account usage.
According to financial industry sources, Kakao Bank and Toss Bank have completed the technical preparations for Apple Pay and are pushing for a service launch within the year. Kakao Bank is expected to start the service as early as this month. However, both banks have not officially confirmed their plans or launch dates.
Currently, Hyundai Card is the only card company in South Korea offering Apple Pay services. Other companies, such as Shinhan Card and KB Kookmin Card, are in the process of reviewing terms but have yet to launch their services. If internet banks introduce Apple Pay first, consumers seeking to use the service will have more options beyond Hyundai Card.
The primary reason card companies are hesitant to adopt Apple Pay is the cost. The fee for Apple Pay is reported to be around 0.15% of the transaction amount. With declining merchant fee rates and regulatory pressures on lending, card companies must carefully consider whether the potential increase in customers and transaction volumes justifies the additional costs. The actual burden may vary based on each company's contractual terms.
The fee policy of Samsung Pay is another variable that card companies are monitoring. Currently, Samsung Pay does not impose separate transaction fees on card companies. However, there are speculations that Samsung Electronics may reconsider its fee policy if more companies join Apple Pay.
When Apple Pay was introduced in South Korea in 2023, Samsung Electronics indicated it would not extend its agreement for free transaction fees, raising the possibility of future charges. Subsequently, in July of that year, Samsung decided to maintain the free fee structure.
Given the large transaction volume of Samsung Pay, the decision on whether to implement fees could significantly impact card companies' costs. If we apply the 0.15% fee to Samsung Pay's projected transaction volume of 88 trillion won in 2024, it could amount to approximately 132 billion won annually. However, this is a hypothetical scenario based on applying the same rate to the total transaction volume, and no decision has been made regarding Samsung Pay's fee structure.
For internet banks, the introduction of Apple Pay could enhance both debit card and account usage. Operating primarily through mobile apps, increasing payment convenience for iPhone users could attract new customers and encourage existing customers to use their debit cards more frequently. An increase in account usage could lead to securing primary customers and attracting deposits.
Internet banks can also leverage this to capture a younger customer base. According to a survey by Gallup Korea in July, 19% of smartphone users in South Korea use iPhones, with the usage rate among those in their 20s exceeding 53%.
However, internet banks are not free from fee burdens. Since their debit cards utilize the payment networks of partner card companies, how they share the costs associated with Apple Pay implementation will be crucial. It remains to be seen how actual customer acquisition and usage increases will offset these costs after the service launches.
A financial industry official stated, “In payment services, who establishes a foothold in customers' daily lives first is crucial, making the initial market entry effect significant. If card companies continue to weigh various interests while internet banks expand their customer touchpoints, the competitive landscape for existing card companies may narrow in the future.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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