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KB Kookmin Card said on the 14th that it has filed a patent for hybrid payment technology that allows digital assets to be used alongside existing card payment infrastructure.

The patent links a blockchain-based e-wallet address to a customer’s credit card, enabling the use of digital assets and a credit card without issuing a separate card. At the time of payment, the stablecoin balance held in the e-wallet is applied first; if the balance is insufficient, the transaction automatically switches to credit card payment.

The technology focuses on minimizing inconvenience that may arise in using digital assets while maintaining the existing card payment structure. Customers can use digital assets as a payment method while keeping their existing card experience and benefits, without having to obtain an additional card.

KB Kookmin Card expects the technology to naturally connect traditional financial infrastructure with blockchain technology and help stablecoins establish themselves as a practical means of payment and settlement not limited to specific platforms. It also said the technology could be applicable not only to the domestic payment environment but also in the expansion of global payments and digital-asset usage.

Using the patent filing as a catalyst, KB Kookmin Card plans to technically review the intersection of traditional finance and new technologies and continue research to prepare for changes in the payment and settlement environment. It also said it will explore the feasibility of phased deployment in consideration of relevant legislation and the institutional environment.

A KB Kookmin Card official said, “It is meaningful in laying the groundwork for using digital assets more easily and safely. Taking into account the institutional environment and market conditions, we will review ways to utilize it with financial consumer protection as the top priority.”