Hanwha Financial Group to Partner with Standard Chartered for Exploring Stablecoin and Other Digital Asset Businesses

BlockBeats News, March 16, a large South Korean financial group, Hana Financial Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Standard Chartered Group. The two parties will collaborate on digital asset businesses, including joint projects in the digital finance field such as stablecoins.

According to reports from several South Korean media outlets, the two institutions plan to leverage their global networks and financial technological capabilities to explore new growth opportunities between traditional finance and digital finance. Ham Young-joo, Chairman of Hana Financial Group, stated that they will create new growth space through collaborative efforts in digital assets and the future of finance.

In recent years, both companies have been accelerating their efforts in the digital asset sector. In 2023, Hana Bank collaborated with the crypto custody firm BitGo to develop cryptocurrency custody services. In 2024, they jointly established BitGo Korea with SK Telecom, with Hana Group holding a 25% stake.

Financial data shows that Hana Financial Group achieved a record net profit of over 40 trillion South Korean Won (approximately $26.7 billion) in 2025. Meanwhile, Standard Chartered Group launched Bitcoin and Ethereum spot trading services for institutional clients in 2025 and provided digital asset custody services in Europe and Asia. In addition, Standard Chartered Bank is also expected to be one of the first institutions to receive a Hong Kong stablecoin issuance license.