Samsung Securities, Samsung SDS and Samsung Card will jointly acquire a 4% equity stake in Dunamu, the operator of Korea's largest digital asset exchange. The move is seen as a strategic investment to seize new business opportunities in response to the expansion of the digital asset market, including a won-denominated stablecoin and security token offerings (STOs).
Samsung Securities, Samsung SDS and Samsung Card said on the 28th they resolved to acquire 1.39 million shares of Dunamu equity held by a Kakao affiliate for a total of 612.8 billion won. The equity stakes are 2% for Samsung Securities, and 1% each for Samsung SDS and Samsung Card.
The companies said they decided on the investment to strengthen business cooperation in the growing digital asset market and secure new revenue sources. In particular, they noted they took into account the possibility that the exchange business area could expand rapidly as a won-denominated stablecoin is introduced and the digital asset market grows.
Samsung Securities plans to expand collaboration with Dunamu across the digital asset space, including security token offerings (STOs) issuance and distribution and virtual asset services. The company said it will jointly identify new business opportunities in digital finance.
Samsung SDS plans to combine its information technology (IT) services, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, security and data management capabilities with Dunamu's blockchain operations know-how. Through this, it will strengthen competitiveness in blockchain software and move to expand next-generation digital finance infrastructure projects targeting domestic financial institutions.
Samsung Card, in preparation for the potential introduction of a won-denominated stablecoin, plans to review with Dunamu ways to support digital asset-based payment services on Samsung Financial's integrated platform Monimo and other services. It will also promote cooperation to build a distribution and payment ecosystem.
A Samsung official said, "This equity investment is to strengthen the digital asset-related business competitiveness of each Samsung affiliate," adding, "By actively cooperating with Dunamu, the No. 1 digital asset operator in Korea, we expect each company will be able to secure market leadership related to digital assets."
A Dunamu official also said, "We welcome the strategic equity investment by Samsung Securities, SDS and Card, and we plan to actively cooperate to develop and distribute blockchain-based financial investment products, build payment infrastructure, and expand into the AI field using blockchain technology."