Kong's Vision for 2026: Empowering API Management and AI Integration

A New Year, A New Vision for Kong in 2026

As we welcome 2026, we extend our sincere New Year's greetings to all. We hope this year brings joy to everyone, especially to those affected by disasters and conflicts, and that they swiftly return to a peaceful life. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to all customers and partners who continue to support and utilize the Kong API management and platform services.

Reflecting on the past year, 2025 proved to be fundamental in redefining the importance of API management. We launched the Kong AI Gateway with support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and celebrated our sixth consecutive year of being recognized as a leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for API Management. These accomplishments affirm our technological capabilities and visionary approach.

In Japan, we proudly hosted the API Summit Japan 2025, discussing the future of APIs and AI with numerous enterprises and tech professionals. Our partnerships expanded, welcoming major companies like SMBC Nikko Securities, Isuzu Motors, Monex Securities, JERA, and NTT Data ANSWER on board, increasing our local partnerships to eleven. We also tripled our workforce in Japan compared to last year. The key takeaway from 2025 was a heightened awareness of the need for robust API management and a redefinition of APIs in light of the evolving AI agent landscape.

Looking toward 2026, we have charted strategic priorities to enhance our presence as the AI Connectivity Company, a title we embrace as we shift towards an era where connectivity drives value in AI. While the industry's eyes are turned to the potential and promises of AI, many organizations face challenges, such as productivity constraints, rising costs, risks, and governance issues that slow down implementation. Konge is set to tackle these hurdles head-on, providing necessary guardrails and controls to foster innovation and ensure success in AI initiatives.

Furthermore, we aim to strengthen our support for enterprise clients by enhancing the API infrastructure needed in critical mission environments that demand high reliability and scalability. Our commitment to the Japanese market will deepen as we undergo a rebranding process and extend our organizational framework, ensuring we remain close to our customers and partners.

Key Strategies for 2026

1. Propel our rebranding to become the AI Connectivity Company that transforms necessary connectivity into value.
2. Advocate the significance of APIs in the AI agent era and contribute to the advancement of Japanese society.
3. Intensify support for major enterprise clients to ensure robust API management.
4. Prioritize organizational expansion and deepening our commitment to the Japanese market.

The entire Kong team is devoted to continual growth alongside our customers and partners. We look forward to your unwavering support throughout 2026.

About Kong

As a leading API management platform, Kong is recognized globally for its significant role in the field of API management, with a mission to help organizations become API-first. Built on the world’s most adopted API gateway, Kong’s integrated cloud API platform provides a comprehensive lifecycle for developing, operating, and managing APIs, enhancing developer productivity while ensuring speed, security, and scalability to advance digital business experiences and accelerate innovation. For more details, please visit our website and social media channels.