Key Takeaways
- • Hanwha Investment & Securities signed an MOU with Kresus Labs at Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025 to jointly develop digital asset infrastructure, marking the South Korean firm's strategic pivot toward blockchain and Web3 financial services.
- • The partnership encompasses digital wallet development, tokenization of financial instruments, blockchain infrastructure, and talent exchange programs across Web3-related businesses, positioning Hanwha as a specialized digital asset securities provider.
- • Kresus Labs brings enterprise-grade technology including B2B and B2C digital wallet services deployable under partner brands, plus tokenization infrastructure built on the Canton Network—a blockchain platform designed specifically for financial institutions.
- • Hanwha Investment & Securities CEO Byung-Ho Jang stated the collaboration will provide "customized technology design" to establish the firm as a "leading securities company that leverages blockchain and Web3 to deliver innovative services" within regulatory frameworks.
- • The agreement reflects Hanwha's broader digital asset expansion strategy, aligning with its 62-year history as a diversified financial services provider offering brokerage, wealth management, and investment banking solutions.
Summary
Hanwha Investment & Securities has formalized its entry into digital asset infrastructure through a memorandum of understanding with U.S.-based blockchain firm Kresus Labs, signed during Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025. The partnership represents a deliberate strategic shift for the South Korean financial services company, which was established in 1962 and has historically operated as a traditional brokerage and wealth management firm. Under the MOU, both companies commit to collaborative development in four core areas: digital wallet technology, financial instrument tokenization, blockchain infrastructure, and knowledge exchange across Web3-related business segments.
Kresus Labs provides the technical foundation for this collaboration through its dual-market digital wallet platform and tokenization infrastructure. The company operates B2B and B2C services that allow enterprise clients to offer white-label digital wallet solutions while maintaining their own brand identity. Critically, Kresus's platform integrates tokenization capabilities built on the Canton Network—a purpose-built blockchain designed specifically for financial institutions—with multi-chain wallet technology enabling asset management across multiple blockchain networks. This infrastructure addresses institutional-grade requirements for digital asset custody and interoperability.
Hanwha Investment & Securities CEO Byung-Ho Jang emphasized that Kresus's "customized technology design" will form the foundation for Hanwha's digital asset business expansion. The CEO explicitly framed the partnership within existing regulatory constraints, stating the firm aims to establish itself as "a leading securities company that leverages blockchain and Web3 to deliver innovative services." This language signals a measured approach to regulatory compliance—a critical consideration for South Korean financial services firms operating under strict domestic oversight while expanding into emerging asset classes.
The timing and venue of the MOU signing at Abu Dhabi Finance Week reflect both firms' positioning within the institutional blockchain ecosystem. Abu Dhabi has emerged as a regulatory jurisdiction attracting major financial institutions into digital asset infrastructure, making it a strategic location for announcing Web3 collaborations. For Hanwha, this partnership consolidates its transition from a traditional securities operator into a digitally-native financial services provider capable of offering tokenization services, blockchain-based settlement, and enterprise wallet infrastructure to institutional clients.
Kresus Labs provides the technical foundation for this collaboration through its dual-market digital wallet platform and tokenization infrastructure. The company operates B2B and B2C services that allow enterprise clients to offer white-label digital wallet solutions while maintaining their own brand identity. Critically, Kresus's platform integrates tokenization capabilities built on the Canton Network—a purpose-built blockchain designed specifically for financial institutions—with multi-chain wallet technology enabling asset management across multiple blockchain networks. This infrastructure addresses institutional-grade requirements for digital asset custody and interoperability.
Hanwha Investment & Securities CEO Byung-Ho Jang emphasized that Kresus's "customized technology design" will form the foundation for Hanwha's digital asset business expansion. The CEO explicitly framed the partnership within existing regulatory constraints, stating the firm aims to establish itself as "a leading securities company that leverages blockchain and Web3 to deliver innovative services." This language signals a measured approach to regulatory compliance—a critical consideration for South Korean financial services firms operating under strict domestic oversight while expanding into emerging asset classes.
The timing and venue of the MOU signing at Abu Dhabi Finance Week reflect both firms' positioning within the institutional blockchain ecosystem. Abu Dhabi has emerged as a regulatory jurisdiction attracting major financial institutions into digital asset infrastructure, making it a strategic location for announcing Web3 collaborations. For Hanwha, this partnership consolidates its transition from a traditional securities operator into a digitally-native financial services provider capable of offering tokenization services, blockchain-based settlement, and enterprise wallet infrastructure to institutional clients.
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