NEW YORK and MIAMI, July 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Siebert Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: SIEB) (“Siebert”), a diversified financial services company, today announced that Kakao Pay Securities has selected Siebert as its U.S. financial partner to advance a new model for investing in South Korean equities.
At the center of the collaboration is a bold goal: use tokenization to give American investors access to South Korean stocks beyond traditional market hours, creating the potential for around-the-clock trading across two of the world’s major financial markets.
The initiative, known as the “K-Stock Global Gateway,” brings together Kakao Pay Securities’ technology, digital content and deep connection to South Korea’s investment ecosystem with Siebert’s U.S. market access, brokerage capabilities and financial infrastructure. Kakao Pay Securities has approximately 9 million stock accounts, providing the partnership with significant reach across South Korea’s growing community of investors.
The companies are working toward creating a direct path for Siebert clients to access South Korean equities, with an initial service targeted for the first half of 2027.
As part of the initiative, Siebert and Kakao Pay Securities are exploring the tokenization of South Korean stocks as a way to overcome the significant time-zone difference between U.S. and Korean markets. The model is intended to enable investors to trade Korean equities outside traditional Korean market hours, while also supporting faster settlement and a more connected cross-border investing experience.
Tokenization represents one of many financial products and opportunities the companies expect to explore through the partnership. As the relationship develops, Siebert and Kakao Pay Securities intend to identify new ways to connect investors across the U.S. and South Korean markets, expand access to financial products and build new cross-border investment opportunities.
“Kakao Pay Securities choosing Siebert as its U.S. partner is a strong validation of the financial infrastructure we are providing,” said John J. Gebbia, Chief Executive Officer of Siebert Financial. “Our goal is to help remove the barriers between global markets. Tokenization is an important first opportunity, but we see the potential of this partnership going much further. By combining Siebert’s U.S. infrastructure with Kakao Pay Securities’ technology, scale and leadership in South Korea, we can create new ways for investors in both markets to access financial products and opportunities that were previously difficult to reach.”
The initiative is also expected to explore how tokenized securities could support real-time settlement, or T+0, allowing investors to access funds from completed transactions more quickly.
“We want to build a global gateway for K-shares by combining Kakao Pay Securities' technology, content, and community capabilities with Siebert's access to the U.S.,” said Simon Shin, Chief Executive Officer of Kakao Pay Securities.
The partnership is designed to go beyond transaction access. By combining brokerage infrastructure with market content and investor education, Siebert and Kakao Pay Securities aim to make South Korean companies more accessible and easier to understand for American investors, while building the foundation for a broader pipeline of financial products and cross-border opportunities.
As global markets become more connected, Siebert intends to be at the forefront of that shift. Through its partnership with Kakao Pay Securities, Siebert is building toward a future where investors can access more markets, more products, and more opportunities through a financial platform they already know and trust.
Any implementation will remain subject to applicable regulatory requirements and investor protection standards in the United States and South Korea. 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, Siebert AdvisorNXT, LLC, Park Wilshire Companies, Inc., RISE Financial Services, LLC, Siebert Technologies, LLC, StockCross Digital Solutions, Ltd., Gebbia Media LLC, and Siebert Crypto, 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 sports management, entertainment, and media productions. For over 58 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 realize anticipated synergies or successfully implement new business 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, 2025, 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.
For inquiries, please contact:
Deborah Kostroun
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