On May 28, Samsung Securities, Samsung SDS, and Samsung Card resolved to jointly acquire 1.39 million shares of Dunamu (the parent company of Upbit) held by the tech giant Kakao. The total amount is approximately 612.8 billion won, and settlement is expected to be completed on June 19, 2026. Each of the three subsidiaries plans to collaborate with Dunamu in the areas of token securities, blockchain infrastructure, and Korean won stablecoin payment.
Confirmed cooperation plans by Samsung subsidiaries
A Samsung-related source said the purpose of this acquisition is to strengthen the digital finance competitiveness of each subsidiary. Samsung Securities plans to deepen collaboration with Dunamu in the issuance, circulation, and crypto-asset services of token securities (ST). Samsung SDS plans to combine its IT, AI, cloud computing, and data management technologies with Dunamu’s blockchain operations experience to build next-generation digital finance infrastructure for domestic financial institutions. Samsung Card plans to work with Dunamu on deploying Korean won stablecoins, providing digital-asset payment capabilities within the Monimo App.
Dunamu executives said that both sides will actively cooperate in blockchain financial products, payment infrastructure, and AI.
Hanwha Financial’s early investment and USDC collaboration
On May 15, 2026, Hanwha Financial Group acquired 6.55% of Dunamu’s shares from Kakao for more than $668 million. Group chairman Ham Young-joo said the investment is intended to accelerate digital-asset financial innovation. Previously, in March 2026, Hanwha Group announced a collaboration with Circle, the issuer of USDC, and is currently testing stablecoin card-spending features domestically.
Background on Kakao selling Dunamu
Kakao has sold approximately $1.5 billion worth of Dunamu shares in less than a month and said it has designated AI as a core strategy, advancing its AI business through its Kanana model and collaboration with OpenAI. In addition, Upbit previously suffered a hacking incident involving hundreds of billions of won, and it was discovered by South Korean regulators due to shortcomings in 700,000 KYC procedures.
FAQ
What percentage of Dunamu shares did each Samsung subsidiary acquire?
Samsung Securities acquired 2% of Dunamu shares; Samsung SDS and Samsung Card each acquired 1%. The three subsidiaries together acquired 1.39 million shares for approximately 612.8 billion won (about $480 million), and settlement is expected to be completed on June 19, 2026.
Why did Kakao sell Dunamu shares?
Kakao said it has shifted its strategic focus from cryptocurrency to AI and is advancing its AI business through its Kanana model and collaboration with OpenAI. Within less than a month, the company sold about $1.5 billion worth of Dunamu shares.
What is the background of Hanwha Financial Group’s earlier investment in Dunamu?
On May 15, 2026, Hanwha Financial Group acquired 6.55% of Dunamu’s shares for more than $668 million. The group chairman said the aim is to accelerate digital-asset financial innovation. Hanwha Group also announced in March 2026 a collaboration with Circle, the USDC issuer, and is testing stablecoin card-spending features domestically.
