Honestly, if you've been watching the stock market lately, you've probably noticed Coupang is no longer just "that Korean Amazon clone." It's becoming something much weirder and more aggressive. By October 2025, the narrative around the company has shifted from "can they survive?" to "how much of the Asia-Pacific region are they going to swallow?"
October has been a massive month for the firm. While everyone was busy looking at their third-quarter earnings (which, let's be real, were pretty solid with revenue hitting $9.3 billion), the real story is in the boots-on-the-ground moves they're making in Taiwan and the AI tech they just flaunted at the APEC CEO Summit.
The October 2025 Coupang News That Actually Matters
Most people think Coupang's growth is just about South Korea. Wrong.
The biggest Coupang news today October 2025 is their sudden, heavy-handed pivot into Taiwan. CEO Bom Kim basically confirmed that Taiwan is scaling exactly like Korea did back in the day. Think about that for a second. Korea is one of the most densely populated, tech-savvy markets on Earth, and Coupang owns it. Replicating that in Taiwan isn't just a "nice-to-have" expansion; it's a blueprint for regional dominance.
They’ve been building logistics centers in Taoyuan like crazy. In fact, they recently signed letters of intent to scale up their end-to-end infrastructure there even further. They aren't just shipping boxes; they are building the roads the boxes travel on.
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The $3 Billion AI Play
While the world was obsessed with ChatGPT, Coupang was quietly sinking $3 billion into AI-driven commerce. They used the APEC summit in late October to show off.
We're talking about:
- Driverless forklifts that don't need coffee breaks.
- Predictive modeling that knows you need milk before your fridge does.
- Smart sorting robots that have basically turned their warehouses into giant, autonomous beehives.
This isn't just "tech for the sake of tech." It’s the reason they can promise "ordered by midnight, at your door by 7 AM." If you're a competitor and you don't have $3 billion to drop on robots, you're basically bringing a knife to a drone fight.
Why the WOW Membership Is Feeling the Heat
You can't talk about Coupang without mentioning the WOW membership. It’s the glue.
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But there’s a bit of tension right now. Earlier this year, they hiked the price of the WOW membership by 58%, moving it from 4,990 won to 7,890 won. By October 2025, we’re seeing the real-world fallout. Some people are definitely feeling "subscription fatigue." I mean, how many monthly fees can one person pay before they start cutting back?
Still, Coupang is betting that you won't leave. Why? Because the membership isn't just free shipping anymore. It's Coupang Play (their streaming service) and Coupang Eats. It's an ecosystem. They've even been using their massive logistics network to act as a PR partner for the APEC summit, slapping logos on 50 million Rocket Delivery boxes. It’s hard to ignore a brand when it’s literally sitting on your doorstep every single morning.
What Really Happened With the Financials
Let's talk numbers, but keep it simple.
The 2025 Q3 report showed an 18% jump in total net revenues. That’s huge for a company this size. Their net income rose 48% to $95 million.
Wait. $95 million in profit on $9 billion in revenue?
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Yeah, the margins are thin. Like, razor-thin. But that’s the play. They are reinvesting almost every cent back into the machine. They are the largest private employer in Korea for a reason—they are hiring the people (and building the robots) to make sure no one else can match their speed.
The Japan Surprise
One thing that’s flying under the radar in the Coupang news today October 2025 is their "Rocket Now" food delivery push in Japan. They are burning cash there like it’s a hobby, giving out 5,000 yen coupons and sponsoring massive virtual YouTuber (VTuber) events. It’s a bold, maybe even desperate, attempt to break into the Japanese market where Uber Eats and Demae-can are already settled in. It’s a high-stakes gamble.
Practical Insights for the Average Person
So, what does this actually mean for you?
If you're an investor, you've got to look past the "data breach" headlines that popped up recently in Korea. The fundamentals are a beast. They are diversifying away from just "selling stuff" into high-margin areas like advertising and fintech. Non-retail revenue grew over 34% this year. That’s where the real money is.
If you're a consumer, expect the "Coupang-ification" of your life to continue. More streaming, more food delivery, and more "how did I live without this?" moments.
Next Steps for You:
- Watch the Taiwan expansion: If they successfully flip Taiwan into a profit machine by early 2026, the stock is likely to see another major rally.
- Audit your subscriptions: If you’re a WOW member, make sure you’re actually using Coupang Play and Eats. At 7,890 won, it’s only worth it if you’re fully in the ecosystem.
- Keep an eye on Japan: This is their "make or break" frontier. If they can't scale Rocket Now in Tokyo, expect them to pull back and double down on Southeast Asia instead.