Samsung is increasing its bet on digital finance in South Korea. Three group entities—Samsung Securities, Samsung SDS, and Samsung Card—have approved the purchase of a 4% stake in Dunamu, the operator of the country’s largest crypto exchange, Upbit. The deal amount will be 612.8 billion won, or about $408 million.
The shares will be bought from companies affiliated with Kakao. As a result, Samsung will gain direct participation in one of Asia’s leading crypto platforms just as South Korea is preparing rules for tokenized securities and won-based stablecoins.
The Deal Is Split Among Three Samsung Entities
Samsung Securities will be the largest buyer within the group and will receive 2% of Dunamu. Samsung SDS and Samsung Card will each acquire another 1%. This structure shows that Samsung’s interest goes beyond a simple financial investment.
Each company here has its own role. Samsung Securities can work with the issuance and placement of tokenized securities. Samsung SDS is responsible for technological infrastructure, including cloud, security, data, and artificial intelligence. Samsung Card can test payment scenarios with digital assets.
In other words, Samsung is not just buying a stake in the operator of Upbit. The group is assembling the foundation for future financial infrastructure, where exchange, tokenization, and payments can work together in a single system.
Upbit Becomes a Key Asset for Financial Groups
Dunamu remains one of the most valuable players in South Korea’s digital asset market. Upbit holds a key position among local crypto exchanges and provides access to a huge base of retail users.
That is why interest in the company is growing not only from Samsung. Earlier, Hana Financial Group announced the purchase of 6.55% of Dunamu for more than $668 million. After this deal, the group is set to become the fourth largest shareholder of Upbit’s operator.
Such demand shows that traditional financial companies in South Korea no longer want to watch the crypto market from the sidelines. They are securing positions in infrastructure that could become important after the new rules are launched.
South Korea Prepares Market for Tokenized Securities
The context of the deal is especially important. In January, South Korean lawmakers passed amendments to the laws on securities registration and the capital market. These changes legally recognize distributed ledgers as part of the infrastructure for securities accounting.
The new model is set to take effect on February 4, 2027. Until then, regulators need to prepare by-laws, technical standards, and a system for interaction between the depository, brokers, and digital platforms.
Samsung is already participating in this process. In May, according to local media reports, Samsung SDS received a contract to create a blockchain platform for the Korea Securities Depository. Now, the investment in Dunamu complements this move.
Samsung Builds Position on Two Levels at Once
The strategy looks broader than just buying a minority stake. Samsung is gaining access to both the state infrastructure for tokenized securities and the country’s largest private crypto exchange.
This gives the group room for future products. For example, tokenized stocks, digital bonds, asset custody services, payments through the Monimo app, and solutions for corporate clients can be developed not separately, but within a single ecosystem.
The role of Samsung Card is especially important. South Korea is discussing rules for won-pegged stablecoins, and payment companies are already studying how such instruments can be used in consumer services.
Regulators Have Not Yet Defined Rules for Stablecoins
Despite business activity, the framework for stablecoins in South Korea has not yet been finalized. The country’s Financial Services Commission continues to discuss the second stage of virtual asset legislation.
Unresolved issues include who will be able to issue stablecoins, what reserves will be required, how oversight will be organized, and whether banking and non-banking companies will be able to participate in this market.
Therefore, Samsung has not yet announced the launch of its own stablecoin or payment product. But the investment in Dunamu gives the group a partnership with a player who already understands crypto infrastructure, liquidity, and user behavior.
What's Next?
The Samsung and Dunamu deal shows that South Korea is quickly moving from discussing crypto regulation to creating real digital finance infrastructure. Major corporations and banks are starting to secure positions before the new rules take effect.
For Samsung, this is a way to integrate early into the market for tokenized securities, stablecoins, and digital payments. For Dunamu, it means strengthening ties with the country’s largest financial and technology groups.
If regulation goes according to plan in 2027, Upbit and its partners could become some of the main beneficiaries of the new stage of South Korea’s digital asset market.
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