South Korea’s internet-only lender Kbank has entered a strategic partnership with Ripple to run a proof of concept for blockchain-based overseas remittances, with local reports describing tests of bank-linked account integration and on-chain transfer flows involving corridors such as the UAE and Thailand. The companies reportedly discussed a Ripple digital-wallet proof of concept, support for Kbank’s remittance model, and broader digital-asset cooperation, with Ripple’s Palisade wallet and custody platform being evaluated in the second phase. The report says the work is still a technical verification rather than a commercial launch, with no confirmed rollout date, customer access plan, fee structure, live transaction volume, or exact settlement asset. Kbank’s role as the only bank supporting Upbit’s KRW real-name deposit and withdrawal account verification gives the pilot broader market significance, although Upbit has not been identified as a participant. The report also says Upbit-linked funds accounted for about 24% of Kbank’s 30.4 trillion won deposit balance as of the third quarter of 2025, while South Korea’s unsettled digital-asset and stablecoin rules remain a key factor between technical testing and any eventual commercial remittance service.