USDC payments launched in South Korea, BC Card and Base initiate strategic partnership pilot

BrokenDAO · 2026-02-17T03:17:52+00:00

South Korean payment infrastructure provider BC Card and Coinbase's Layer 2 network Base have launched a pilot program for online and offline payments based on USDC, aiming to integrate traditional payments with blockchain technology and enhance the user payment experience. This collaboration emphasizes compliance, developing a settlement framework that adheres to local regulations, and plans to promote long-term cooperation after successful pilots to expand the application potential of USDC payments in South Korea and the Asian market.

BrokenDAO

2026-02-17 03:17:52

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South Korea’s largest payment infrastructure provider, BC Card, has officially partnered with Coinbase’s Layer 2 network, Base. The two parties will jointly launch a pilot program for online and offline payments based on USDC, marking another significant attempt at deep integration between traditional payment giants and blockchain technology. The pilot will enable users to make direct payments with USDC at domestic merchants in South Korea, representing a key step in moving stablecoin payments from concept to practical application.

Connecting Online and Offline, Integrating USDC Payments with Traditional Infrastructure

The core innovation of this partnership lies in seamlessly integrating BC Card’s QR code payment solution with Base Chain’s digital wallet. This means users holding USDC can settle payments directly at over 3.5 million merchants supporting BC Card, without complex currency exchange processes. The pilot will focus on testing the convenience and real-world usability of USDC payments, while also verifying interoperability between Base Chain and traditional payment infrastructure to ensure user experience is comparable to existing payment methods.

Prioritizing Compliance, Building a Settlement Framework in Line with Local Regulations

Both companies will jointly develop a settlement process that complies with South Korea’s legal and regulatory requirements, especially for handling the Korean Won (KRW). This reflects the compliance challenges that must be addressed for crypto payments to be practically implemented. Through this demonstration project, the partners aim to explore how to balance technological innovation with regulatory demands, providing a reference for stablecoin payments in other regions.

Mid- to Long-Term Strategy, Activating Base Ecosystem Development in South Korea

Based on the pilot results, BC Card and Base plan to advance three levels of mid- to long-term cooperation: improving USDC’s payment settlement model in Korea, leveraging their network resources to discover new service opportunities, and focusing on activating Base’s application ecosystem in South Korea. BC Card’s service to 36 million users and 3.5 million merchants will strongly support the expansion of the Base ecosystem in the Asian market. Additionally, the two organizations are exploring future prospects for stablecoin applications denominated in KRW, preparing for the enhancement of infrastructure such as Base Chain and BasePay.

This partnership demonstrates the enormous potential of combining USDC with payment infrastructure and marks a step toward mainstream adoption of stablecoin payments beyond niche experiments.

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