Siebert Financial Corp. and Kakao Pay Securities Advance Partnership to Expand International Market Access
Siebert Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: SIEB) has advanced its strategic partnership with Kakao Pay Securities through senior-level meetings in South Korea. The collaboration, led by Siebert CEO John J. Gebbia, focuses on three key areas: cross-border brokerage services, AI-supported investor experiences, and next-generation infrastructure development.
The partnership aims to provide South Korean investors access to U.S. equities, ETFs, and options while leveraging Kakao Pay's mobile platform reach of 8 million users. Initial collaborations include operational international trading capabilities, U.S. market analysis distribution, and development of digital assets access including securities tokenization.
Siebert Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: SIEB) ha rafforzato la sua partnership strategica con Kakao Pay Securities attraverso incontri ai massimi livelli in Corea del Sud. La collaborazione, guidata dall’amministratore delegato di Siebert John J. Gebbia, si concentra su tre ambiti principali: servizi di intermediazione transfrontalieri, esperienze per gli investitori supportate dall’IA e sviluppo di infrastrutture di nuova generazione.
La partnership punta a offrire agli investitori sudcoreani l’accesso a titoli azionari statunitensi, ETF e opzioni, sfruttando la piattaforma mobile di Kakao Pay che conta 8 milioni di utenti. Le prime collaborazioni includono l’abilitazione operativa al trading internazionale, la diffusione di analisi sul mercato statunitense e lo sviluppo di accessi agli asset digitali, compresa la tokenizzazione dei titoli.
Siebert Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: SIEB) ha avanzado en su asociación estratégica con Kakao Pay Securities mediante reuniones de alto nivel en Corea del Sur. La colaboración, liderada por el CEO de Siebert John J. Gebbia, se centra en tres áreas clave: servicios de corretaje transfronterizo, experiencias para inversores respaldadas por IA y desarrollo de infraestructura de próxima generación.
La alianza pretende brindar a los inversores surcoreanos acceso a acciones estadounidenses, ETF y opciones, aprovechando el alcance de la plataforma móvil de Kakao Pay, con 8 millones de usuarios. Las primeras iniciativas incluyen la habilitación operativa para trading internacional, la distribución de análisis del mercado estadounidense y el desarrollo de acceso a activos digitales, incluida la tokenización de valores.
Siebert Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: SIEB)가 한국에서의 고위급 회의를 통해 Kakao Pay Securities와의 전략적 파트너십을 진전시켰습니다. Siebert의 CEO 존 J. Gebbia가 이끄는 이번 협력은 국경 간 중개 서비스, AI 지원 투자자 경험, 차세대 인프라 개발 등 세 가지 핵심 분야에 중점을 둡니다.
이 파트너십은 한국 투자자들에게 미국 주식, ETF 및 옵션 접근성을 제공하는 것을 목표로 하며, 800만 명의 이용자를 보유한 카카오페이의 모바일 플랫폼 도달 범위를 활용합니다. 초기 협업에는 국제 거래 운영 기능 구축, 미국 시장 분석 제공, 증권의 토큰화 등을 포함한 디지털 자산 접근성 개발이 포함됩니다.
Siebert Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: SIEB) a renforcé son partenariat stratégique avec Kakao Pay Securities lors de réunions de haut niveau en Corée du Sud. La collaboration, dirigée par le PDG de Siebert John J. Gebbia, se concentre sur trois axes principaux : les services de courtage transfrontaliers, les expériences investisseurs soutenues par l’IA et le développement d’infrastructures de nouvelle génération.
Le partenariat vise à offrir aux investisseurs sud-coréens l’accès aux actions américaines, aux ETF et aux options, en tirant parti de la portée de la plateforme mobile de Kakao Pay, qui compte 8 millions d’utilisateurs. Les premières initiatives comprennent la mise en place de capacités opérationnelles pour le trading international, la diffusion d’analyses du marché américain et le développement d’un accès aux actifs numériques, y compris la tokenisation de titres.
Siebert Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: SIEB) hat seine strategische Partnerschaft mit Kakao Pay Securities durch hochrangige Treffen in Südkorea vertieft. Die Zusammenarbeit unter der Leitung von Siebert-CEO John J. Gebbia konzentriert sich auf drei Kernbereiche: grenzüberschreitende Brokerage-Dienstleistungen, KI-gestützte Anlegererlebnisse und die Entwicklung einer nächsten Generation von Infrastruktur.
Ziel der Partnerschaft ist es, südkoreanischen Anlegern Zugang zu US-Aktien, ETFs und Optionen zu bieten und dabei die Reichweite der mobilen Plattform von Kakao Pay mit 8 Millionen Nutzern zu nutzen. Erste gemeinsame Maßnahmen umfassen den Aufbau operativer internationaler Handelsfähigkeiten, die Verbreitung von Marktanalysen zum US-Markt sowie die Entwicklung des Zugangs zu digitalen Assets einschließlich der Tokenisierung von Wertpapieren.
- Partnership expands access to U.S. markets for 8 million Kakao Pay Securities users
- Development of AI-supported trading and research capabilities
- Potential future revenue streams through digital assets and STO offerings
- Strategic expansion into South Korean market with established local partner
- Regulatory compliance requirements across two jurisdictions may slow implementation
- Integration complexity between different market systems could pose challenges
Insights
Siebert's partnership with Kakao Pay Securities creates strategic cross-border market access, combining US financial expertise with Korean mobile tech reach.
Siebert Financial's advancement of its partnership with Kakao Pay Securities represents a strategic international expansion that combines complementary strengths from both organizations. The collaboration links Siebert's regulated US market access with Kakao Pay's established mobile platform presence in South Korea, potentially opening new revenue streams for both companies.
The partnership focuses on three key areas that could drive growth: cross-border brokerage services (providing South Korean investors access to US equities, ETFs, options, and securities lending), AI-supported investor experiences (research tools and trading assistance), and next-generation infrastructure (including digital asset capabilities and security token offerings).
What's particularly noteworthy is that implementation has already begun, with international trading opportunities via Siebert already operational for eligible clients. The planned distribution of Siebert's market analysis to Kakao Pay Securities' 8 million users could significantly expand Siebert's reach in the Asian market.
For Siebert, which has traditionally focused on the US market, this partnership potentially creates access to a substantial South Korean customer base through Kakao Pay's mobile platform dominance. For Kakao Pay Securities, the arrangement delivers sophisticated US market access and financial products to its users without needing to build these capabilities independently.
The involvement of senior leadership from both organizations, including Siebert CEO John Gebbia and Kakao Pay Securities CEO Shin Ho-cheol (who also serves on Siebert's board), indicates high-level commitment to the initiative. The formation of joint working groups across technology, client experience, and regulatory compliance suggests a comprehensive approach to implementation.
CEO-directed visit to Seoul focuses on collaborative cross-border brokerage, investor tools, and next-gen infrastructure
NEW YORK and SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Siebert Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: SIEB) today confirmed senior-level working sessions with Kakao Pay and Kakao Pay Securities on August 20–21 in Pangyo and Yeouido. The visit was directed by Siebert CEO John J. Gebbia to expand and deepen a partnership that supports clients in South Korea and the United States, thanks chiefly to the support of Siebert’s senior board member Charles Zabatta.
John J. Gebbia, CEO of Siebert Financial. “Kakao Pay brings mobile scale and a trusted consumer platform. Siebert brings regulated market access and product expertise. Together, we are mapping practical ways to help more people invest across markets with confidence, including solid technology and a forward-looking AI-integration.”
“This collaboration meeting was a meaningful opportunity to lay the foundation for cooperation that combines South Korea’s mobile innovation with the U.S.’s expertise in financial infrastructure,” said Shin Ho-cheol, CEO of Kakao Pay Securities and board member of Siebert Financial Corp.
The companies aligned on three collaborative workstreams:
- Cross-border brokerage: access to U.S. equities, securities landing, ETFs and options for South Korean investors – including managed portfolios and capital markets opportunities – with resilient order routing and clearing.
- Investor experience with AI support: research, insights, and trading assistance designed to be useful, transparent, and foster financial literacy.
- Next-generation infrastructure: future-ready rails that can enable digital finance capabilities in line with regulation, including access to digital assets, in particular STO (Security Token Offering).
“We are approaching this partnership with respect for each team’s strengths,” said David Gebbia, Principal at Siebert Financial and CEO of Gebbia Media. “We want to co-design services that feel simple for clients, integrate strongly, and meet supervisory requirements on both sides. This is about building together.”
Early collaboration is already in motion:
– International trading opportunities accessible via Siebert are already operational for eligible clients, with integration work led by Anthony Palmeri, Senior Managing Director at Siebert. “International clients want simple access to U.S. markets with the same confidence they have at home. Our joint teams are connecting order routing, clearing, FX, Securities Landing and Equity Options,” comments Palmeri.
– A daily U.S. market analysis by Mark Malek, Chief Investment Officer at Siebert, is live within Siebert’s channels and will soon be shared with Kakao Pay Securities’s 8 million users.
– Digital Assets access, including securities tokenization, led by the deep expertise in the sector of Siebert’s Chief Legal Officer, Ralph Daiuto.
Joint working groups are being set up across technology, client experience, supervision, and regulatory review in each market, in preparation for launching.
About Siebert Financial Corp.
Siebert is a diversified financial services company and has been a member of the NYSE since 1967, when Muriel Siebert became the first woman to own a seat on the NYSE and the first to head one of its member firms.
Siebert operates through its subsidiaries Muriel Siebert & Co., LLC, Member NYSE | FINRA | SIPC; Siebert AdvisorNXT, LLC, Park Wilshire Companies, Inc., RISE Financial Services, LLC, Siebert Technologies, LLC, and StockCross Digital Solutions, Ltd, and Gebbia Media LLC. Through these entities, Siebert provides a full range of brokerage and financial advisory services, including securities brokerage; investment banking and capital markets services; investment advisory and insurance offerings; securities lending; corporate stock plan administration solutions; in addition to entertainment and media productions. For over 55 years, Siebert has been a company that values its clients, shareholders, and employees. More information is available at www.siebert.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements preceded by, followed by, or that include the words “may,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “project,” “intend” and similar words or expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements.
These forward-looking statements, which reflect beliefs, objectives, and expectations as of the date hereof, are based on the best judgment of the management of Siebert. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in such statements, including, without limitation, the following: economic, social and political conditions, global economic downturns resulting from extraordinary events; securities industry risks; interest rate risks; liquidity risks; credit risk with clients and counterparties; risk of liability for errors in clearing functions; systemic risk; systems failures, delays and capacity constraints; network security risks; competition; reliance on external service providers; new laws and regulations affecting Siebert’s business; net capital requirements; extensive regulation, regulatory uncertainties and legal matters; failure to maintain relationships with employees, customers, business partners or governmental entities; the inability to achieve synergies or to implement integration plans; and other consequences associated with risks and uncertainties detailed in Part I, Item 1A – Risk Factors of Siebert’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and Siebert’s filings with the SEC.
Siebert cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive, and new factors may emerge, or changes to the foregoing factors may occur that could impact its business. Siebert undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except to the extent required by the federal securities laws.
Media Contact:
Deborah Kostroun, Zito Partners
deborah@zitopartners.com
+1 (201) 403-8185
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a173c579-b391-436e-a319-98fe99921b2c
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