Crypto.com Partners with South Korean Payment Giant KG Inicis to Enable Cryptocurrency Payments for International Tourists
Foreign visitors to South Korea will gain access to cryptocurrency payment options at merchants nationwide through a collaboration between Crypto.com and a leading domestic payment processing company.
A new collaboration between Crypto.com and KG Inicis, a leading South Korean payment gateway and value-added network provider, will bring cryptocurrency payment capabilities to international tourists visiting the country.
The South Korean payment processor, which handles hundreds of millions of transactions each year and serves approximately 190,000 merchant partners, will facilitate the deployment of Crypto.com Pay throughout its extensive network, as revealed in an announcement made on Tuesday.
Eric Anziani, president and chief operating officer of Crypto.com, commented: "KG Inicis boasts an unrivalled merchant acceptance network with 40% market share and we're proud to partner with this fintech powerhouse to make digital asset payments easier for travellers to Korea."
The new integration enables foreign tourists to purchase goods and services with digital currencies at brick-and-mortar retail locations as well as e-commerce websites. Participating merchants will be able to choose whether they want to receive payments immediately in traditional fiat currency or in digital assets.
Crypto.com and KG Inicis eye deeper collaboration
Looking ahead, both organizations indicated they are investigating further opportunities for collaboration, which may include cooperative marketing initiatives and the creation of new financial products, pending approval from regulatory authorities.
A spokesperson from KG Inicis stated: "Through our collaboration with Crypto.com, we plan to expand an infrastructure where digital assets can be utilised in actual economic activities, all while ensuring a solid legal and regulatory foundation."
This collaboration marks another milestone in Crypto.com's ongoing expansion strategy. Earlier in February, the cryptocurrency exchange secured conditional approval for a national bank charter in the United States, establishing a pathway toward functioning as a federally supervised digital asset custodian. Prior to that development, the company obtained ISO certification related to artificial intelligence systems management, demonstrating its commitment to advancing further into that technological domain.
More countries allow tourists to pay in crypto
Back in May 2025, the nation of Bhutan rolled out a cryptocurrency payment infrastructure designed specifically for its tourism industry through a collaborative arrangement with Binance Pay and DK Bank, enabling international visitors to pay for accommodation, entrance tickets and various services using more than 100 different cryptocurrencies.
Meanwhile in August, authorities in Thailand revealed their intention to implement an 18-month pilot initiative called "TouristDigiPay" that would permit foreign tourists to exchange cryptocurrency into Thai baht for use in commercial transactions, with participating merchants receiving traditional fiat currency instead of digital assets.