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South Korea’s Hanwha makes a $13 million bet on ‘seedless’ crypto wallets
The South Korean financial firm backs the U.S.-based blockchain company to accelerate enterprise wallet technology and real-world asset tokenization.
By Jamie Crawley, AI Boost|Edited by Stephen Alpher
Feb 19, 2026, 12:20 a.m.
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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.
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.
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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.
WalletsTokenizationReal World Assets South Korea
AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.
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The $125 billion real estate firm wants to offer blockchain-based tokens to clients but is stalled by regulation.
What to know:
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