Hana Financial Becomes Major Shareholder in Dunamu with $1 Billion Investment

Hana Financial Group has made a significant investment of 1 trillion won (approximately $1 billion) in Dunamu, positioning itself as the fourth-largest shareholder in the company. This investment is seen as a culmination of the long-standing trust between Hana Financial Chairman Ham Young-joo and Dunamu Vice Chairman Kim Hyung-nyeon.

On May 15, Hana Financial announced that the Hana Bank board approved the acquisition of 2,284,000 shares of Dunamu from Kakao Investment for about 1.03 trillion won. With this purchase, Hana Bank now holds a 6.55% stake in Dunamu, securing its status as the fourth-largest shareholder.

This investment marks the largest ever by a domestic commercial bank in a virtual asset company. Following this transaction, Hana Financial has quickly ascended to become the fourth-largest shareholder in Dunamu. As of last year, the largest shareholder in Dunamu was Chairman Song Chi-hyung (25.51%), followed by Vice Chairman Kim Hyung-nyeon (13.10%) and Woori Technology Investment (7.20%). Kakao Investment, previously among the top three shareholders, has seen its stake reduced and has lost its major shareholder status.

The two companies have previously collaborated on projects, including proof of concept for overseas remittance services utilizing blockchain technology. This stake acquisition is expected to enhance synergies not only between Hana Financial and Dunamu but also with Naver Financial, which is set to exchange shares with Dunamu.

Chairman Ham stated, "This equity investment is a strategic decision to accelerate financial innovation based on digital assets. We will focus all our capabilities to lead the creation of the K-blockchain ecosystem with Dunamu and help the domestic digital asset industry reach a global leadership level."