KB Kookmin Card, a subsidiary of a major South Korean financial group, has filed a patent application related to stablecoin payments. The patent covers a hybrid payment system that allows users to link their blockchain digital wallet address to an existing credit card. During payments, the stablecoin balance in the wallet is used first, with the credit card making up the difference to complete the payment. KB Kookmin Card stated that this design aims to lower the barrier to digital asset payments while retaining existing credit card payment infrastructure, user experience, and points and security mechanisms, thus promoting stablecoins from niche scenarios to the mainstream financial system. Company executives stated that they will evaluate the practical application path of this technology in the future, taking into account regulatory and market conditions, and will prioritize consumer protection. This move comes as South Korea is advancing its stablecoin regulatory framework. Driven by related policies, South Korea is studying a domestic currency stablecoin issuance mechanism centered on a banking union and plans to finalize the "Digital Asset Basic Law" in the first quarter of this year. (The Block)