KakaoBank (KRX:323410) and K Bank extended small-business lending at growth rates 70 times higher than the sector average, data from Korea's five largest banks showed Wednesday. Internet-only banks are capturing market share in operator-capital lending, a segment traditional banks have largely retreated from as loan losses and regulatory capital requirements reduced profitability.
KakaoBank and K Bank grew small-business lending 70% year-over-year in the half, compared to 0.4% growth at Korea's top five banks. The internet banks' absolute lending base remains 80 times smaller than the legacy tier, but the growth trajectory is steep.
KakaoBank's market capitalisation was ₩10.4 trillion at Thursday's close. First-half 2026 net income of ₩328 billion set a record for the three-year-old bank. Net interest margins on small-business books typically exceed consumer mortgage margins, but loss rates are higher, creating a trade-off that legacy banks price conservatively.
Regulatory encouragement of fintech lending in this segment reflects policy desire to diversify credit sources for entrepreneurs and ease pressure on traditional financial institutions.
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| Symbol | Last Price |
|---|---|
| 323410KakaoBank Corp. | ₩21,950 +0.7% |