2 months ago
- E-payment platforms using QR codes are expanding rapidly in North Korea, especially in Pyongyang, with nationwide adoption being pushed.
- Samhung, a major e-wallet network, more than tripled in size from 2022 to 2025, with growth shifting from Pyongyang to provinces, now covering most counties.
- The 2021 Electronic Payment Law enabled non-banking IT companies to offer supervised payment services, leading to at least seven competing platforms.
- Deposit locations for e-wallets have grown significantly, with over 700 points in 2025, mostly in Pyongyang, and many located at IT Exchanges, not banks.
- E-wallets support both North Korean won and foreign currencies, using stable FX won, with many locations accepting foreign currency to help the state capture hard cash.
- ATM networks are expanding alongside e-payments, with machines from Hwawon, Narae, and Taesong Bank, allowing users to fund electronic wallets.
- The state promotes e-payments for economic benefits like efficiency, price control, tax collection, and absorbing foreign currency, with surveillance as a secondary aspect.