Shinhan, KB, Toss hesitate to adopt Apple Pay

Shinhan Card, KB Kookmin Card and Toss Bank have delayed adopting Apple Pay in Korea, leaving Hyundai Card as the only issuer offering the service, according to industry officials Tuesday. The firms cite Apple’s transaction fees and the cost of building NFC payment infrastructure as concerns for profitability. Regulators said they would consider ways to ease fee and infrastructure burdens while respecting businesses’ right to negotiate their own terms.

Shinhan Card received Financial Supervisory Service approval in December 2024 but has continued reviewing launch timing and profitability.

KB Kookmin Card’s August 2024 recruitment listing sought experienced workers to build an Apple Pay service, but the listing was later removed.

Toss Bank applied for a Financial Supervisory Service review in November 2025 and received approval for its Apple Pay terms and conditions in January.

Hyundai Card helped deploy NFC terminals at major franchises and large merchants when it introduced Apple Pay.

At an Oct. 22 National Assembly audit, Rep. Kim Yong-man said more than 200 financial firms in Japan and over 100 in China offer Apple Pay, compared with one in Korea.

Published Oct 27, 2026 3:41 pm KST

Regulators vow to explore ways to support wider rollout in Korea

An Apple Pay sticker is displayed at the counter of a restaurant in Seoul, March 20, 2023. Yonhap

Shinhan Card, KB Kookmin Card and other Korean financial firms remain hesitant to adopt Apple Pay, delaying the service’s expansion and fueling frustration among iPhone users.

Hyundai Card remains the only card issuer offering Apple Pay in Korea, and it is unclear when other providers will join, according to industry officials Tuesday.

Card issuers are concerned that fees paid to Apple and the cost of building payment infrastructure could undermine profitability. Questions about the fairness of fees charged for Apple Pay while Samsung Wallet, formerly Samsung Pay, remains free have added to their concerns.

Several financial firms have taken steps toward introducing Apple Pay since Hyundai Card launched it in 2023, but some have put their plans on hold despite completing a regulatory review of their terms and conditions.

Shinhan Card received approval from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) in December 2024. However, it has since continued to review the timing and profitability of a launch.

Expectations surrounding KB Kookmin Card grew in August 2024, when a recruitment website carried a job posting seeking experienced workers to build its Apple Pay service. The listing was later removed. Speculation resurfaced earlier this year after some of its Visa cards were registered with Apple Wallet, though the company has reportedly not decided when to introduce the service.

Toss Bank obtained approval for its Apple Pay terms and conditions in January, having applied for an FSS review in November 2025. It has since reportedly deferred the launch for business reasons.

Industry officials say the cost of providing near-field communication (NFC) terminals and paying Apple a share of transaction fees are among the biggest barriers to entry.

Hyundai Card helped deploy NFC terminals at major franchises and large merchants when it introduced Apple Pay. Potential entrants are reportedly being asked to build infrastructure on a comparable scale, adding to the investment required before they can launch.

Card issuers also worry that sharing merchant fees with Apple would leave them with a smaller portion of the revenue from each transaction. Samsung Electronics, meanwhile, has not charged card issuers for Samsung Wallet since the service was launched as Samsung Pay in 2015.

Some industry observers have raised concerns that Samsung could begin charging fees if more card issuers adopt Apple Pay.

“The Samsung Wallet issue is probably a significant reason financial firms have been reluctant to introduce Apple Pay,” an industry official said. “If they adopt Apple Pay and Samsung Wallet then decides to charge fees as well, they would face considerable pressure because of the impact on profitability.”

Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eog-weon, right, answers a lawmaker’s question during a parliamentary audit at the National Assembly in Seoul, Oct. 22. At left is Financial Supervisory Service Gov. Lee Chan-jin. Yonhap

The slow expansion of Apple Pay drew criticism during the National Assembly’s recent audit of financial authorities.

“More than 200 financial firms in Japan and over 100 in China offer Apple Pay, but Hyundai Card is the only one in Korea. The service remains limited here,” Rep. Kim Yong-man of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said during the Oct. 22 audit.

Financial regulators said they would consider measures to ease the burden of fees and improve payment infrastructure. They also indicated that they would look at ways to support payment innovation and make transactions more convenient for foreign visitors, while respecting the principle that businesses should negotiate their own terms.

Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Lee Eog-weon acknowledged that the authorities’ room to intervene in negotiations between businesses may be limited, but vowed to seek ways to improve payment convenience.

FSS Gov. Lee Chan-jin also said, “We are examining specific issues related to fees and will consult with the FSC once our review is complete.”

Watchdog's pushback on Samsung Wallet fees raises fairness questions

Baedal Minjok to accept foreign-issued cards through Apple Pay

据业内人士周二透露，新韩信用卡、KB国民信用卡和Toss银行已推迟在韩国推出Apple Pay，目前现代信用卡是唯一一家提供该服务的发卡机构。这些公司表示，苹果的交易手续费以及建设NFC支付基础设施的成本是影响盈利能力的因素。监管机构表示，他们将在尊重企业自行协商条款权利的前提下，考虑如何减轻费用和基础设施负担。

新韩信用卡于 2024 年 12 月获得金融监督院批准，但仍在持续评估推出时间和盈利能力。

KB国民卡公司在2024年8月发布的招聘信息中，寻找有经验的员工来构建Apple Pay服务，但该招聘信息后来被撤下。

Toss Bank 于 2025 年 11 月向金融监督管理总局申请审查，并于 1 月获得 Apple Pay 条款和条件的批准。

现代信用卡在推出 Apple Pay 时，帮助在主要连锁店和大型商户部署了 NFC 终端。

在 10 月 22 日的国会审计中，议员金永万表示，日本有 200 多家金融公司提供 Apple Pay，中国有 100 多家金融公司提供 Apple Pay，而韩国只有一家。

发布于2026年10月27日下午3:41（韩国标准时间）

监管机构承诺将探索支持在韩国更广泛推广的途径。

2023年3月20日，首尔一家餐厅的柜台上展示着Apple Pay的贴纸。（韩联社）

新韩信用卡、KB国民信用卡和其他韩国金融公司仍然不愿采用Apple Pay，这延缓了该服务的推广，并加剧了iPhone用户的不满。

据业内人士周二透露，现代信用卡仍然是韩国唯一一家提供 Apple Pay 服务的发卡机构，目前尚不清楚其他服务商何时会加入。

发卡机构担心，支付给苹果的费用以及构建支付基础设施的成本可能会损害盈利能力。此外，苹果支付（Apple Pay）收费而三星钱包（Samsung Wallet，原名三星支付Samsung Pay）仍然免费，这种收费的公平性也加剧了他们的担忧。

自现代信用卡于 2023 年推出 Apple Pay 以来，多家金融公司已采取措施引入 Apple Pay，但尽管一些公司已完成对其条款和条件的监管审查，但仍暂停了其计划。

新韩信用卡于 2024 年 12 月获得金融监督院 (FSS) 的批准。然而，此后该公司一直在评估推出该卡的时机和盈利能力。

2024年8月，KB国民卡公司发布了一则招聘启事，寻找经验丰富的员工来搭建其Apple Pay服务，这引发了人们对该公司的期待。该招聘启事随后被删除。今年早些时候，部分KB国民卡的Visa卡被注册到Apple Wallet后，相关猜测再次升温，但据报道，该公司尚未决定何时推出这项服务。

Toss Bank 于 1 月份获得了 Apple Pay 条款和条件的批准，此前该公司于 2025 年 11 月向金融服务委员会 (FSS) 申请了审查。据报道，该公司此后出于商业原因推迟了 Apple Pay 的推出。

业内人士表示，提供近场通信 (NFC) 终端的成本以及向苹果公司支付一部分交易费是最大的准入门槛之一。

现代信用卡公司在推出Apple Pay时，曾帮助各大连锁店和大型商户部署NFC终端。据报道，潜在的竞争者被要求构建规模相当的基础设施，这增加了他们上线前所需的投资。

发卡机构还担心，与苹果公司分摊商户费用会减少他们从每笔交易中获得的收入份额。与此同时，自2015年三星电子推出三星钱包（Samsung Wallet，当时名为Samsung Pay）以来，该公司一直没有向发卡机构收取任何费用。

一些业内人士担心，如果更多发卡机构采用 Apple Pay，三星可能会开始收取费用。

一位业内人士表示：“三星钱包的问题可能是金融公司迟迟不愿引入Apple Pay的一个重要原因。如果他们采用了Apple Pay，而三星钱包也决定收取费用，那么由于盈利能力受到影响，他们将面临相当大的压力。”

10月22日，在首尔国会举行的国会审计期间，金融服务委员会委员长李玉源（右）回答议员提问。左侧为金融监督院院长李灿镇。（韩联社）

在国民议会最近对金融监管机构的审计中，苹果支付的推广速度缓慢受到了批评。

“日本有超过200家金融公司，中国有超过100家提供Apple Pay服务，但韩国只有现代信用卡一家。这项服务在韩国仍然很有限。”韩国执政党共同民主党议员金永万在10月22日的审计中表示。

金融监管机构表示，他们将考虑采取措施减轻手续费负担并改善支付基础设施。他们还表示，将研究如何支持支付创新，使外国游客的交易更加便捷，同时尊重企业自主协商条款的原则。

金融服务委员会（FSC）主席李玉元承认，当局干预企业间谈判的空间可能有限，但他誓言要寻求改善支付便利性的方法。

食品安全局局长李灿镇也表示：“我们正在研究与收费相关的具体问题，审查完成后将与食品安全委员会进行磋商。”

监管机构对三星钱包收费的质疑引发了公平性问题

Baedal Minjok 将接受通过 Apple Pay 支付的外国发行银行卡。