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Samsung affiliates buy 4% of Dunamu as Korea preps crypto rules
Samsung Securities, Samsung SDS and Samsung Card have agreed to acquire a combined 4% stake in Dunamu — the parent company of Upbit, South Korea’s largest crypto exchange. The three units will purchase 1.39 million Dunamu shares from Kakao-linked entities for 612.8 billion won (about $408 million), giving Samsung direct exposure to a leading digital asset platform as regulatory change looms.
Deal breakdown and strategic aims
Under the transaction, Samsung Securities will take a 2% stake, while Samsung SDS and Samsung Card will each acquire 1%. The move places Samsung’s financial and technology arms closer to the crypto ecosystem, supporting initiatives in tokenized securities, blockchain infrastructure and digital payments tied to cryptocurrency.
Samsung Securities has outlined plans to collaborate with Dunamu on issuing and distributing tokenized securities as well as creating new digital asset services. Samsung Card is evaluating the potential rollout of won‑pegged stablecoins and intends to explore digital payments and asset distribution through Monimo, Samsung’s consumer financial app. Meanwhile, Samsung SDS aims to integrate its AI, cloud, security and data management capabilities with Dunamu’s blockchain know‑how to bolster enterprise-grade blockchain software and digital finance infrastructure for Korean banks and firms.
A Samsung spokesperson described the investment as a strategic move to "strengthen each affiliate’s competitiveness in digital asset‑related businesses." A Dunamu representative welcomed the partnership, saying the company expects to collaborate on blockchain investment products, payment rails and AI‑enhanced blockchain use cases.
Context: Korea’s Digital Asset Basic Act and market repositioning
The Samsung acquisition follows a separate deal in which Hana Bank agreed to buy a 6.55% stake in Dunamu for roughly 1 trillion won (about $670 million). That transaction — expected to close on June 15 — would make Hana one of Dunamu’s largest shareholders and underscores how Korean financial institutions are positioning themselves ahead of new rules.
South Korea is advancing the Digital Asset Basic Act, a regulatory framework set to cover stablecoins, exchange ownership rules, digital asset operators and enhanced investor protections. These anticipated regulations are prompting banks, card firms and tech groups to secure footholds with regulated crypto providers like Dunamu as they prepare to offer compliant crypto services, tokenization products and secure payment solutions.
Why Dunamu is a strategic target
Dunamu’s Upbit dominates South Korea’s crypto trading market, making the company a key gateway to regulated digital asset services. In addition to shareholder interest from Samsung and Hana, Dunamu is engaged in a merger process with Naver Financial — a high‑profile transaction that has attracted regulatory scrutiny. The combination of strategic investments and potential corporate consolidation makes Dunamu a focal point for firms aiming to influence the structure of Korea’s emerging crypto ecosystem.
Implications for blockchain, stablecoins and crypto payments
For Samsung, the stake is more than financial: it’s an operational play to accelerate blockchain adoption across its services and clients. Expect moves into tokenized securities distribution, infrastructure services for institutional clients, and digital payments that could include won‑pegged stablecoins. These developments align with broader industry trends toward tokenization, regulated stablecoins, and crypto payments integration within mainstream financial products.
As Korea finalizes its digital asset rules, partnerships between established finance and tech companies and leading crypto exchanges will likely shape the next wave of regulated crypto services across Asia and beyond. The Samsung‑Dunamu agreement highlights how legacy firms are repositioning to compete in a tokenized, blockchain‑driven financial landscape.
Source: crypto
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