Samsung Units Invest $408M for 4% Stake in Dunamu

• Samsung Securities, Samsung SDS, and Samsung Card will buy 4% of Dunamu for about $408 million.
• The deal values Upbit operator Dunamu at about $11.1 billion based on the share price.
• Samsung’s move follows Hana Bank’s planned 6.55% Dunamu stake purchase.

Samsung Securities, Samsung SDS, and Samsung Card are moving deeper into South Korea’s digital-asset sector by purchasing a $408 million stake in Dunamu, the operator of Upbit.

The three Samsung affiliates will acquire a combined 4.0% stake from Kakao-linked shareholders, strengthening their ties to South Korea’s crypto sector ahead of new regulations for stablecoins, tokenized securities, and crypto payments. 

Samsung Units Gain Direct Exposure To Upbit Operator Dunamu

According to a local media report, the three companies said on May 28 that they will buy 1.39 million shares for 612.8 billion won. Samsung Securities will acquire 2.0%, while Samsung SDS and Samsung Card will each buy 1.0%.

The shares will come from existing holders, including Kakao Investment, Kakao Ventures, the Kakao Youth Startup Fund, and the KIF-Kakao Woori Bank Technology Finance Investment Fund.

The deal values each share at about 439,250 won. That price matches the appraisal rights price used in the broader share swap between Dunamu and Naver Financial. 

Based on that valuation, Dunamu is worth about 15.3 trillion won, or roughly $11.1 billion. The move gives Samsung’s financial and technology units direct exposure to Upbit, South Korea’s largest crypto exchange.

As per reports, Upbit accounts for more than 80% of South Korea’s virtual asset trading volume. That market position makes Dunamu a strategic target for companies preparing regulated digital-asset services.

Stablecoin And Tokenized Securities Plans Shape The Deal

Samsung Securities said it plans to deepen cooperation with Dunamu across digital assets, including security token issuance, distribution, and virtual-asset services. Samsung SDS, on the other hand, is expected to bring IT services, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, security, and data-management capabilities to the partnership.

The company plans to combine those areas with Dunamu’s blockchain operating experience. Meanwhile, Samsung Card is looking at payment services tied to digital assets. The company said it could support digital-asset payments through Monimo, Samsung Financial’s integrated app, if won-based stablecoins are introduced.

The investment reflects growing interest among Korean financial and technology groups in regulated crypto infrastructure. It also comes as South Korea studies frameworks for stablecoins, tokenized securities, and blockchain-based payments.

Dunamu Draws More Institutional Buyers Across Korea

Notably, Samsung’s move follows Hana Bank’s agreement to buy a 6.55% stake in Dunamu for about 1 trillion won, or roughly $670 million. That transaction is expected to close on June 15 and would make Hana Bank Dunamu’s fourth-largest shareholder.

The investment was linked to won-pegged stablecoins, blockchain remittances, tokenized securities, and digital asset management. Dunamu also drew wider market attention after Naver Financial agreed in 2025 to acquire the Upbit operator through an all-stock deal valued at 15.13 trillion won.

Nevertheless, the race is extending beyond Dunamu. Korea Investment & Securities and OKX are expected to sign a deal to acquire a 20% stake in Coinone for 500 billion won to 600 billion won.

Overall, the deals show how South Korea’s largest financial and technology groups are positioning themselves around regulated digital assets before the next policy phase is finalized. For Samsung’s units, the Dunamu stake offers exposure to Upbit’s market reach, blockchain infrastructure, and future use cases tied to stablecoins, tokenized securities, and crypto payments.

Related: South Korean Banking Giant Hana Invests $670 Million in Upbit Operator Dunamu