[Provided by Hana Bank]
[Provided by Hana Bank]

Hana Bank said Monday that its Travelogue foreign currency account — a new type of foreign currency deposit product linking storage, payments and investment — has surpassed 100,000 accounts roughly 10 months after its launch.

Launched in September last year, the Travelogue foreign currency account integrates Hana Bank's foreign currency deposit service and Hana Securities' overseas share trading service into Travelogue, Hana Financial Group's flagship overseas travel platform.

The product's key selling point is that it connects every stage of foreign currency use in one place — from preparing cash before a trip and making payments abroad, to storing leftover foreign currency and investing it after returning home.

Before a trip, account holders can load their foreign currency balance into "foreign currency Hana Money" with no fees. After returning, any remaining balance can be kept in the account to earn interest without converting back to won. The annual interest rate on US dollar balances is 0.05 percent before tax.

Through its link with Hana Securities, account holders can also use their foreign currency holdings to buy and sell overseas shares, extending the product's role beyond a simple payment tool into a practical investment and asset management vehicle.

The account is open to Korean nationals aged 14 and older, including sole proprietors. Holders can choose up to 10 currencies from the 58 supported by the Travelogue platform, with a combined deposit limit of $10,000.

"Surpassing 100,000 accounts reflects genuine customer demand for a flexible way to store and invest leftover foreign currency after traveling," a Hana Bank official said. "We will continue to expand differentiated foreign currency financial services that customers can enjoy conveniently in their daily lives, drawing on synergies across our group affiliates."


won@heraldcorp.com