"AI Handles Everything from Search to Payment"...LG CNS and Bank of Korea Conduct Proof-of-Concept for AI Digital Currency Automatic Payment

First Proof-of-Concept for AI-Based Digital Currency Automatic Payment in Korea
Agentic AI Handles Product Search and Purchase Decisions
Automatic Payments Using Deposit Tokens on Digital Currency Platform
LG CNS as Main Contractor for Bank of Korea CBDC Project... Conducted Live Tests Last Year

LG CNS announced on January 22 that, in collaboration with the Bank of Korea, it has conducted the nation’s first proof-of-concept of an agentic AI-based digital currency automatic payment system, where artificial intelligence (AI) autonomously handles the entire process from product search to purchase decision and payment.

This proof-of-concept is part of the Bank of Korea’s “Project Han-gang,” which has been underway since last year. According to LG CNS, the significance of this project lies in the implementation of a payment infrastructure where AI autonomously manages the entire commerce process using a digital currency platform that circulates deposit tokens (a tokenized form of bank deposits).

LG CNS headquarters building. Photo by LG CNS

Furthermore, by verifying the stability and efficiency of AI-powered automatic payments using blockchain-based digital currency, the project also confirmed the potential for broader adoption of digital currency in the future.

For this proof-of-concept, LG CNS and the Bank of Korea created a virtual persona of a digital content creator and simulated an environment where the creator purchases content sources from multiple platforms for content production. Based on this scenario, they implemented an automated process in which the AI agent conducts product searches, comparisons, and purchase decisions, verifying both technical stability and effectiveness.

In reality, digital creators often face the inconvenience of repeatedly logging in and making payments across various platforms when purchasing images, music, and other content. As a result, they sometimes make purchases without adequately comparing prices or quality.

The agentic AI-based digital currency automatic payment system is designed to resolve these inconveniences. Buyer and seller agents automatically search for and compare the content sources needed by the creator, making purchase decisions independently. Within pre-set conditions, these agents are delegated authority by the user to complete payments with digital currency. This is a form of “agentic commerce,” where AI handles everything from product search to purchase and payment on behalf of the consumer.

The system is designed so that buyer and seller agents autonomously communicate within the scope of their delegated authority. Automatic payments between agents occur on the digital currency platform by transferring deposit tokens between the electronic wallets of buyers and sellers.

The Bank of Korea plans to continue research to support payment methods such as stablecoins, which are digital currencies similar to deposit tokens. If the entire transaction process is automated through agentic AI, users can enjoy fast and convenient transactions without having to make payments themselves.

Kim Honggeun, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Business at LG CNS, stated, “We have confirmed the technical feasibility of a digital currency automatic payment structure based on agentic AI technology,” adding, “We will continue to support the Bank of Korea in proactively preparing for the future payment infrastructure.”

Meanwhile, LG CNS is the main contractor for the Bank of Korea’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) experiment, “Project Han-gang,” responsible for blockchain technology development and platform construction. LG CNS completed the digital currency platform for the Bank of Korea and conducted live transaction tests with about 80,000 customers from seven participating banks from April to June last year. Currently, as part of the follow-up business for Project Han-gang, LG CNS is preparing a “pilot project for treasury subsidy execution based on the digital currency platform.”