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Dunamu is a South Korean fintech company that provides a wide range of services with a focus on blockchain and fintech, including Upbit, the operator of the country's largest crypto exchange. The South Korean internet giant Kakao holds a 10.88% stake in Dunamu, down from the roughly 20% stake it had owned together via its affiliated funds.
Upbit operator Dunamu responds to Nasdaq listing rumors: Confirms engagement with US SEC and CFTC, plans to establish IPO committee
Odaily News: Dunamu, the operator of Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, has responded to rumors of a US listing, stating that the company has indeed been in contact with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). However, it has not yet confirmed plans for a US listing, nor has it converted its financial reporting standards to U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP).Dunamu stated that it is currently working with Naver Financial to complete a share swap by December 31. The two companies are valued at 15 trillion KRW and 5 trillion KRW respectively, with a swap ratio of 1 share of Dunamu for approximately 2.54 shares of Naver Financial. Upon completion of the transaction, both parties plan to establish an IPO committee within one year and proceed with listing efforts.Market observers believe Nasdaq could be a potential listing venue, mainly because Naver is already listed on the Korean exchange. If the two companies are subsequently listed on a secondary exchange in Korea as subsidiaries, they may face regulatory restrictions on "parent-subsidiary dual listings." If Dunamu ultimately pursues a US listing, it may do so via American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). The Korean legal entity and Upbit business would remain intact, and services such as KRW deposits and withdrawals for users are not expected to be directly impacted. (Etoday)
Samsung Securities plans to acquire 2% stake in Upbit operator Dunamu for $204 million
Samsung Securities has passed a board resolution to acquire 2% of Dunamu's shares for 306.3 billion won (approximately $204 million), totaling around 697,000 shares at an acquisition price of about 439,000 won per share.The sellers in this transaction include Kakao Investment, Kakao Ventures, Kakao Youth Startup Fund, and the KIF-Kakao Woori Bank Technology Finance Investment Fund. Based on the transaction price, Dunamu's overall valuation is estimated at approximately 15.3 trillion won (about $10.2 billion).Samsung Securities stated that this investment aims to enhance its competitiveness in the digital asset business and expand related synergies. Previously, Hanwha Investment & Securities also acquired Dunamu shares held by Kakao Investment at the same valuation. (Yonhap News Agency)
South Korea’s delayed cryptocurrency legislation hampers NAVER’s merger process; DS Securities lowers target price to KRW 300,000
According to The Asia Business Daily, DS Investment & Securities issued a research report lowering NAVER’s target price from its previous level to 300,000 KRW, while maintaining a “Buy” rating. Analyst Choi Seung-ho noted that the downward revision is primarily driven by two factors: first, NAVER’s operating profit margin for this year is projected to decline from 18.3% to 17.6%, due to rising advertising and e-commerce marketing expenses as well as depreciation costs; second, delayed legislative progress on cryptocurrency-related regulations is directly affecting the proposed merger between NAVER Financial and Dunamu, raising the possibility of further postponement beyond the originally scheduled completion in September. Previously, DS Securities had assigned a valuation of 15 trillion KRW to NAVER’s cryptocurrency business within its Sum-of-the-Parts (SOTP) valuation; this portion has now been removed from the updated report. Choi Seung-ho added that the e-commerce business remains NAVER’s core growth engine going forward, with annual e-commerce sales expected to reach approximately 2.7 trillion KRW.
Upbit Parent Dunamu and Naver Swap Deal Runs Into Complications: May Clash With Regulatory Shareholding Cap
According to Yonhap, the share swap transaction between Upbit's parent company Dunamu and a subsidiary of South Korean internet giant Naver may face uncertainties. Documents disclosed by the Legislative Affairs Research Division of the National Assembly indicate that the transaction may simultaneously be subject to the minimum shareholding requirement for subsidiaries stipulated in the Fair Trade Act, as well as restrictions on the maximum shareholding by major shareholders of virtual asset exchanges.
Dunamu and Visa Reach Strategic Partnership for Stablecoin Payments and Remittances
According to Yonhap News Agency, Dunamu, operator of South Korean crypto exchange Upbit, has announced a strategic partnership with global payment giant Visa. Both parties will jointly explore next-generation financial payment services leveraging stablecoins and AI. Cooperation areas include stablecoin payments and cross-border remittance services, business models for the USD stablecoin OUSD based on Open Standards, and "Agentic Commerce," which integrates AI with stablecoins to allow AI to handle the entire product search, purchase, and payment process on behalf of users. The specific service architecture has yet to be finalized, and implementation will proceed in phases in compliance with relevant regulations and regulatory requirements.
Upbit operator Dunamu responds to Nasdaq listing rumors: Confirms engagement with US SEC and CFTC, plans to establish IPO committee
Odaily News: Dunamu, the operator of Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, has responded to rumors of a US listing, stating that the company has indeed been in contact with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). However, it has not yet confirmed plans for a US listing, nor has it converted its financial reporting standards to U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP).Dunamu stated that it is currently working with Naver Financial to complete a share swap by December 31. The two companies are valued at 15 trillion KRW and 5 trillion KRW respectively, with a swap ratio of 1 share of Dunamu for approximately 2.54 shares of Naver Financial. Upon completion of the transaction, both parties plan to establish an IPO committee within one year and proceed with listing efforts.Market observers believe Nasdaq could be a potential listing venue, mainly because Naver is already listed on the Korean exchange. If the two companies are subsequently listed on a secondary exchange in Korea as subsidiaries, they may face regulatory restrictions on "parent-subsidiary dual listings." If Dunamu ultimately pursues a US listing, it may do so via American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). The Korean legal entity and Upbit business would remain intact, and services such as KRW deposits and withdrawals for users are not expected to be directly impacted. (Etoday)
Ethereum Layer 2 infrastructure Optimism partners with Dunamu, Toss, and DB Securities to expand into the Korean market
Ethereum Layer 2 infrastructure Optimism has officially announced a tripartite strategic collaboration, joining forces with Upbit operator Dunamu, fintech platform Toss, and DB Securities to comprehensively expand into the Korean market. On the cooperation front with Dunamu, both parties will upgrade the GIWA public chain based on the OP Stack and promote its global development. A three-month technical verification will be conducted with Toss to build a compliant Korean won digital financial infrastructure. Optimism and DB Securities are focusing on the STO and RWA sectors, planning to transform Jeju Island's smart agriculture, livestock assets, and Korean intellectual property into tokenized securities and real-world asset products. This will facilitate the phased on-chain commercialization of local physical assets, with the entire cooperation framework tailored to align with Korea's financial regulatory framework.
Naver and Dunamu's $9.9 Billion Share Swap Transaction Delayed Again to Year-End
Naver Financial and Dunamu have postponed the completion date of their comprehensive share swap transaction to December 31st, marking the second delay for this deal. The transaction aims to integrate Dunamu, the operator of South Korea's largest cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, into Naver's financial division. The original settlement date was September 30th. Dunamu stated that incomplete digital asset legislation and pending antitrust reviews remain key variables, and any progress in either approval process could further extend the timeline or even lead to changes in the transaction.
Upbit Parent Company Dunamu and Naver Financial Stock Swap Transaction Delayed for Second Time
According to The Block, South Korea's Upbit parent company Dunamu and Naver Financial announced that their stock swap transaction has been delayed again, with the latest deadline extended to December 31, 2026. This is the second delay for the transaction; previously, in March this year, it was postponed from June 30 to September 30. The two companies stated that the "Digital Asset Basic Act" currently being drafted in South Korea may affect the transaction's progress or even the final outcome. The bill contains controversial clauses proposing to cap the shareholding ratio of major shareholders in domestic crypto exchanges at 20%, which would directly impact Upbit's existing equity structure if implemented. Previously, the transaction plan involved Naver Financial issuing approximately 87.56 million new shares, with a total value of about 15.13 trillion Korean won (approximately 9.9 billion USD), to promote synergistic development between both parties in the fields of digital assets and the integration of AI and blockchain.
韩国加密交易所陷入"寒冬"，日交易额一年内骤降 88%
据 ZDNet Korea 报道，韩国国内 5 大原币种虚拟资产交易所日交易额截至 7月 20 日约为 4127 亿韩元，较一年前骤降 88%。交易额下滑与比特币价格走低密切相关——比特币去年 10 月创下 12.6 万美元历史高点后持续回落，目前在 6 万美元初横盘。全球加密货币总市值同比下降 41%至约 2.32 万亿美元，业内人士将当前行情定性为"第二次加密冬天"。受此冲击，韩国头部交易所 Dunamu（旗下 Upbit）一季度营收及营业利润同比分别下滑 55%和 78%；中小交易所 Korbit 为维持运营，今年已三度出售持仓资产，仅近期便通过抛售 15枚 BTC 和60枚 ETH 套现约 16 亿韩元。
South Korea’s delayed cryptocurrency legislation hampers NAVER’s merger process; DS Securities lowers target price to KRW 300,000
According to The Asia Business Daily, DS Investment & Securities issued a research report lowering NAVER’s target price from its previous level to 300,000 KRW, while maintaining a “Buy” rating. Analyst Choi Seung-ho noted that the downward revision is primarily driven by two factors: first, NAVER’s operating profit margin for this year is projected to decline from 18.3% to 17.6%, due to rising advertising and e-commerce marketing expenses as well as depreciation costs; second, delayed legislative progress on cryptocurrency-related regulations is directly affecting the proposed merger between NAVER Financial and Dunamu, raising the possibility of further postponement beyond the originally scheduled completion in September. Previously, DS Securities had assigned a valuation of 15 trillion KRW to NAVER’s cryptocurrency business within its Sum-of-the-Parts (SOTP) valuation; this portion has now been removed from the updated report. Choi Seung-ho added that the e-commerce business remains NAVER’s core growth engine going forward, with annual e-commerce sales expected to reach approximately 2.7 trillion KRW.
Upbit L2 Project GIWA Official Clarification: Mainnet Has Not Launched Yet, No Risk of RPC Leakage
The official GIWA account (@GIWA_by_Upbit) issued a clarification stating that the project's mainnet has not yet launched and no RPC has ever been deployed, meaning there is no risk of any RPC leak. Users were reminded to conduct their own research (DYOR) and remain vigilant against FUD and fraudulent information. GIWA is an Ethereum L2 project developed by Upbit’s parent company, Dunamu, based on the OP Stack. Aiming for 1-second block times and EVM compatibility, the project is currently still in the testnet phase.
Optimism Foundation Unveils OP Supply Plan, Expecting Additional 343 Million Tokens in the Coming Year
Odaily News: According to market sources, the Optimism Foundation has announced its OP supply plan, projecting the addition of 343 million tokens over the next year,
Samsung Plans to Add Native Stablecoin Features to 800 Million Galaxy Phones
Odaily News: Samsung plans to add native stablecoin features, including fiat-pegged savings and payment accounts, to 800 million new Galaxy smartphones through Samsung Wallet, with the functionality potentially covering tokens such as USDC. The plan is based on Samsung's existing crypto wallet infrastructure and the nearly 19 million Samsung Wallet users in South Korea. Samsung intends to integrate payments, rewards, and digital assets into a single ecosystem across 61 countries. Samsung holds a $408 million stake in Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, and is advancing its digital asset infrastructure strategy. As South Korea drafts its Digital Asset Basic Act, Samsung's initiatives encompass support for both USD- and KRW-denominated stablecoins.
Samsung SDS and Dunamu Advance Stablecoin and AI Payment Partnership, Q2 Cloud Business Revenue Grows 17%
According to Yonhap News, Samsung SDS announced a strategic partnership with South Korean blockchain company Dunamu (which operates the crypto exchange Upbit). Both parties are discussing specific details regarding multiple digital asset collaboration plans, including stablecoin infrastructure, virtual asset financial system integration (SI), and AI-driven next-generation payment businesses. Samsung SDS stated that this equity investment in Dunamu is not merely a financial investment, but a strategic move to enter the digital financial infrastructure sector, combining Dunamu's blockchain operational experience with Samsung SDS's capabilities in IT services, AI, cloud, and security.
Ethereum Layer 2 infrastructure Optimism partners with Dunamu, Toss, and DB Securities to expand into the Korean market
Ethereum Layer 2 infrastructure Optimism has officially announced a tripartite strategic collaboration, joining forces with Upbit operator Dunamu, fintech platform Toss, and DB Securities to comprehensively expand into the Korean market. On the cooperation front with Dunamu, both parties will upgrade the GIWA public chain based on the OP Stack and promote its global development. A three-month technical verification will be conducted with Toss to build a compliant Korean won digital financial infrastructure. Optimism and DB Securities are focusing on the STO and RWA sectors, planning to transform Jeju Island's smart agriculture, livestock assets, and Korean intellectual property into tokenized securities and real-world asset products. This will facilitate the phased on-chain commercialization of local physical assets, with the entire cooperation framework tailored to align with Korea's financial regulatory framework.
South Korean Virtual Asset Exchanges See Sharp Decline in New Listings, Trading Volume Halved
According to EToday, South Korea's top five virtual asset exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, Gopax) added only 117 new trading listings in the first half of the year, a 44% decrease from 210 in the same period last year; the net increase plummeted from 191 to 49, a year-on-year decline of 74%. Meanwhile, the number of delistings surged from 19 to 68, an increase of 258%. Global virtual asset trading volume recorded $46.07 billion in June, down 34% from $70 billion in the same period last year. The shrinkage in trading volume directly compressed fee income; Dunamu (Upbit's parent company) and Bithumb's first-quarter fee income accounted for 97.49% and 99.99% of operating revenue respectively, highlighting the issue of high dependency on retail spot trading.
Related news
Dunamu seeks to expand beyond the South Korean market, driving the integration of digital assets into the global financial system.
During Korea Blockchain Week, Dunamu CEO Oh Kyoung-suk stated that the company is seeking to expand beyond the domestic market and is committed to connecting South Korea’s digital asset ecosystem with global financial markets. Oh Kyoung-suk noted that while South Korea possesses a massive user base, ample liquidity, and strong professional expertise, its current advantages remain confined to the domestic landscape. Establishing a clear and predictable market access mechanism and a Korean won conversion framework are key to attracting global capital.
Upbit L2 Project GIWA Official Clarification: Mainnet Has Not Launched Yet, No Risk of RPC Leakage
The official GIWA account (@GIWA_by_Upbit) issued a clarification stating that the project's mainnet has not yet launched and no RPC has ever been deployed, meaning there is no risk of any RPC leak. Users were reminded to conduct their own research (DYOR) and remain vigilant against FUD and fraudulent information. GIWA is an Ethereum L2 project developed by Upbit’s parent company, Dunamu, based on the OP Stack. Aiming for 1-second block times and EVM compatibility, the project is currently still in the testnet phase.
Upbit Parent Dunamu and Naver Swap Deal Runs Into Complications: May Clash With Regulatory Shareholding Cap
According to Yonhap, the share swap transaction between Upbit's parent company Dunamu and a subsidiary of South Korean internet giant Naver may face uncertainties. Documents disclosed by the Legislative Affairs Research Division of the National Assembly indicate that the transaction may simultaneously be subject to the minimum shareholding requirement for subsidiaries stipulated in the Fair Trade Act, as well as restrictions on the maximum shareholding by major shareholders of virtual asset exchanges.
Dunamu and Visa Reach Strategic Partnership for Stablecoin Payments and Remittances
According to Yonhap News Agency, Dunamu, operator of South Korean crypto exchange Upbit, has announced a strategic partnership with global payment giant Visa. Both parties will jointly explore next-generation financial payment services leveraging stablecoins and AI. Cooperation areas include stablecoin payments and cross-border remittance services, business models for the USD stablecoin OUSD based on Open Standards, and "Agentic Commerce," which integrates AI with stablecoins to allow AI to handle the entire product search, purchase, and payment process on behalf of users. The specific service architecture has yet to be finalized, and implementation will proceed in phases in compliance with relevant regulations and regulatory requirements.
Dunamu becomes South Korea's first cryptocurrency exchange operator to connect to the Administrative Information Sharing System.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit operator Dunamu has been designated by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety as a "designated agency for administrative information sharing," becoming the first crypto exchange operator in South Korea to receive this qualification. The ministry completed on-site inspections and qualification reviews in May this year and issued the designation decision this month. Dunamu plans to utilize the system for customer identification (KYC), reducing the process of users repeatedly submitting supporting documents by directly accessing relevant administrative information, thereby improving the efficiency of account opening and verification.
Upbit operator Dunamu responds to Nasdaq listing rumors: Confirms engagement with US SEC and CFTC, plans to establish IPO committee
Odaily News: Dunamu, the operator of Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, has responded to rumors of a US listing, stating that the company has indeed been in contact with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). However, it has not yet confirmed plans for a US listing, nor has it converted its financial reporting standards to U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP).Dunamu stated that it is currently working with Naver Financial to complete a share swap by December 31. The two companies are valued at 15 trillion KRW and 5 trillion KRW respectively, with a swap ratio of 1 share of Dunamu for approximately 2.54 shares of Naver Financial. Upon completion of the transaction, both parties plan to establish an IPO committee within one year and proceed with listing efforts.Market observers believe Nasdaq could be a potential listing venue, mainly because Naver is already listed on the Korean exchange. If the two companies are subsequently listed on a secondary exchange in Korea as subsidiaries, they may face regulatory restrictions on "parent-subsidiary dual listings." If Dunamu ultimately pursues a US listing, it may do so via American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). The Korean legal entity and Upbit business would remain intact, and services such as KRW deposits and withdrawals for users are not expected to be directly impacted. (Etoday)