South Korea’s Hanwha makes a $13 million bet on ‘seedless’ crypto wallets

AI Summary3 min read

TL;DR

Hanwha Investment & Securities invested $13 million in Kresus Labs to support enterprise wallet infrastructure and RWA tokenization platforms. This signals continued institutional investment in blockchain infrastructure despite market volatility.

Key Takeaways

  • Hanwha Investment & Securities invested $13 million in wallet infrastructure firm Kresus Labs.
  • Funding will support enterprise wallet infrastructure and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platforms.
  • The deal highlights institutional focus on blockchain infrastructure rather than speculative tokens.
  • Kresus develops 'seedless' wallet recovery and MPC-based security systems for easier access.
  • Tokenization of traditional assets like real estate faces regulatory barriers but is seen as transformative.
Wallet (hamedtaha/Unsplash, modified by CoinDesk)
(hamedtaha/Unsplash, modified by CoinDesk)

What to know:

  • Kresus has secured roughly $13 million (KRW 18 billion) from Hanwha Investment & Securities.
  • The funding will support enterprise wallet infrastructure and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platforms.
  • The deal signals continued institutional investment in blockchain infrastructure despite uneven crypto markets.
  • Kresus has secured roughly $13 million (KRW 18 billion) from Hanwha Investment & Securities.
  • The funding will support enterprise wallet infrastructure and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platforms.
  • The deal signals continued institutional investment in blockchain infrastructure despite uneven crypto markets.

Wallet infrastructure firm Kresus Labs has raised approximately 18 billion won ($13 million) in investment from Hanwha Investment & Securities, one of South Korea’s largest financial institutions.

The investment follows a memorandum of understanding signed in December at Abu Dhabi Finance Week and is aimed at expanding Kresus’ enterprise digital wallet infrastructure, real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platforms and onchain financial workflows.

The wallet and blockchain infrastructure firm develops digital asset tools for both consumers and institutions, including "seedless" wallet recovery technology and multi-party computation (MPC)-based security systems.

Seedless recovery refers to the means of restoring access to a digital asset stored in a wallet without having to use the traditional stream of 12-24 random words, which could prove a barrier to entry for some.

Kresus also operates wallet infrastructure and tokenization platforms designed to meet institutional compliance and operational requirements.

Hanwha plans to use Kresus’ technology to enhance its client-facing digital asset services and to develop tokenized versions of traditional financial products. For established financial firms, wallet security and compliant tokenization frameworks remain key barriers to deeper engagement with blockchain-based markets.

The raise underscores how capital continues to flow into infrastructure providers even when broader crypto markets are volatile. Rather than backing speculative tokens, institutions are increasingly targeting custody, security and tokenization layers that can plug into existing financial systems.

  • Some 77% of the survey's 4,658 respondents said they would open a cryptocurrency or stablecoin wallet within their banking or fintech app if one were available.
  • A survey commissioned by crypto exchange Coinbase and stablecoin infrastructure provider BVNK also found that 71% of users would use a stablecoin-linked debit card to spend the fiat-linked tokens.
  • Stablecoin users on average hold 35% of their annual earnings in such tokens, and 73% of freelancers and contractors reported an improvement in their ability to work with international clients thanks to stablecoins.

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