Samsung SDS plans to combine its cloud, cybersecurity and IT services business with Dunamu’s blockchain expertise as the companies position themselves to capitalize on South Korea’s emerging digital asset infrastructure market.
Key Takeaways
- CEO Lee Jun-hee said Samsung SDS will combine its cloud expertise with Dunamu’s blockchain technology.
- Samsung SDS cited stablecoin issuance-to-settlement validation as a key competitive capability.
- Samsung SDS said its Dunamu investment will expand opportunities in digital asset infrastructure.
President and CEO Lee Jun-hee outlined the strategy during Samsung SDS’s second-quarter 2026 earnings call on July 29, describing the company’s recent investment in Dunamu, the operator of South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Upbit, as part of a broader effort to expand its presence in digital assets.
“By combining Samsung SDS’s IT services, cloud, and security capabilities with Dunamu’s blockchain expertise, we aim to lead this market,” Lee remarked during the earnings call.
Building on Existing Stablecoin Experience
Lee said Samsung SDS is not entering the sector from scratch. The company has already participated in projects involving tokenized securities and stablecoin infrastructure, giving it experience it believes can be expanded through Samsung’s investment in Dunamu.
“We have already secured differentiated business capabilities in digital asset infrastructure through the Korea Securities Depository’s tokenized securities platform project and through end-to-end validation, with domestic financial institutions, of the full stablecoin process from issuance to settlement,” Lee explained during the meeting.
He added that Samsung SDS intends to build on those capabilities by leveraging Dunamu’s blockchain expertise. Lee stated:
“On this foundation, we will add synergies with Dunamu to further expand our business opportunities in the digital asset infrastructure market.”
A Strategic Investment
Samsung SDS discussed the investment as part of its broader strategy to pursue inorganic growth opportunities, which also includes investments tied to artificial intelligence and robotics.
In May, Samsung SDS, Samsung Securities, and Samsung Card jointly acquired a 4% stake in Dunamu, South Korea’s largest digital asset exchange operator. During the earnings call, Lee described the investment as one of the company’s strategic initiatives aimed at expanding into the digital asset infrastructure space.
The acquisition complements Samsung SDS’s broader technology portfolio, which includes cloud computing, enterprise IT services, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI) units and products. Rather than launching a consumer-facing cryptocurrency business, the company is positioning itself to provide the underlying infrastructure supporting digital asset services.
Regulatory Environment Remains in Focus
Samsung SDS’s strategy comes as South Korea continues developing its regulatory framework for digital assets and stablecoins.
Lawmakers are debating legislation that would establish rules for stablecoin issuance and other digital asset activities, while policymakers continue weighing the role banks and nonbank companies should play in the sector. Those discussions are expected to shape how the country’s digital asset infrastructure develops over the coming years.
Although Samsung SDS did not announce any new products or commercial launches related to Dunamu during the earnings call, Lee’s remarks indicate the company sees long-term opportunities in providing enterprise infrastructure for tokenized assets and stablecoin systems.
The strategy also aligns with Samsung SDS’s broader technology expansion. During the earnings call, Lee said the company plans to grow its AI infrastructure capacity from approximately 110 megawatts today to 230 megawatts by 2029 and more than 800 megawatts by 2031 as it expands its cloud and AI businesses.
Looking Ahead
Samsung SDS has not announced a timeline for new digital asset infrastructure offerings with Dunamu or Upbit, nor did the company disclose specific joint projects during the earnings call.
Instead, Lee presented the investment as part of a longer-term strategy that combines Samsung SDS’s enterprise technology capabilities with Dunamu’s blockchain expertise to pursue opportunities in South Korea’s evolving digital asset market. Whether that pans out or not remains a question that only time can answer.