K Bank vs ila Bank.
K Bank (K78/100) and ila Bank (i50/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. K Bank leads ila Bank 5-0.
| i ila Bank №74 · ila Bank is the digital retail brand of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait 50 /100 | K K Bank №09 · KDIC 78 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 51 /100 | 78 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.50% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Payment inst. | Full bank KDIC |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded BH.DCS | €50,000,000 KR.KDIC |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.2 ★ iOS 4.3 · And 4.1 | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.5 · And 4.4 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick ila Bank if…
Digital retail brand of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK B.S.C., Bahrain Bourse: BBK) — one of the GCC's oldest commercial banks (founded 1971). Launched November 2019 as Bahrain's first fully-digital retail bank. CBB Conventional Retail Bank licence sits at the BBK parent; ila is a brand inside that charter, not a separately licensed entity. Bahrain DPS cover BHD 20,000 per depositor flows via the parent licence under CBB Rulebook Volume 6. Conventional banking; for Sharia products from the same group, see KFH Bahrain (separately licensed Islamic bank).
Pick K Bank if…
Korea's first Internet-Only Bank to launch (April 2017) — predates Kakao Bank by three months. KT Corporation (Korea Telecom) is the largest shareholder, providing carrier-bundled distribution and ASEAN remittance corridors via Wirebarley. The cash-settlement counterparty for Upbit, Korea's largest crypto exchange — exposure to crypto-cycle deposit flows. Listed on KOSPI in 2024 after two shelved IPO attempts.
- Best for fees K Bank won 1 of 4
- Best for protection K Bank won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux K Bank won 1 of 2
K Bank vs ila Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is ila Bank better than K Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, K Bank leads ila Bank 5–0 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: ila Bank 50/100 vs K Bank 78/100. K Bank is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is ila Bank or K Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — ila Bank: €0; K Bank: €0. Card FX markup — ila Bank: 1.50%; K Bank: Interbank. K Bank wins more fee rows (1 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, ila Bank or K Bank?
ila Bank holds a Payment inst. licence under ila Bank is the digital retail brand of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK B.S.C.) — CBB Conventional Retail Bank licence held at the BBK parent. CBB Rulebook Volume 6 Deposit Protection Scheme cover up to BHD 20,000 per depositor per institution; ila and BBK aggregate against one ceiling because they are the same legal entity. Verify the current DPS ceiling on cbb.gov.bh.; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. K Bank holds a Full bank licence under KDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: €50,000,000. K Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use ila Bank and K Bank?
ila Bank operates in 1 country; K Bank operates in 1 country. Check each provider's signup page for the live country list — eligibility depends on residency, not just the licence footprint.
Want a 3- or 4-way comparison?
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