Samsung SDS President and CEO Lee Chun-hee outlined this strategy on July 29 during a Samsung SDS Q2 2026 earnings conference call, discussing the company's recent investment in Dunamu—the operator of South Korea's largest cryptocurrency exchange Upbit—as part of broader efforts to expand its digital assets presence.
"By combining Samsung SDS's IT services, cloud solutions, and security capabilities with Dunamu's blockchain expertise, we aim to become a leading player in this market," Lee noted during the earnings call.
Building on Existing Stablecoin Experience
Lee pointed out that Samsung SDS is not starting from scratch in this sector. The company has already been involved in tokenized securities and stablecoin infrastructure projects, gaining experience it believes can be expanded upon through its investment in Dunamu.
"We have already secured unique business opportunities in the digital asset infrastructure sector through the Korean Securities Depository's tokenized securities platform project, as well as through an end-to-end pilot conducted with domestic financial institutions covering the entire stablecoin process from issuance to settlement," Lee explained during the call.
He added that Samsung SDS intends to develop these capabilities by leveraging Dunamu's blockchain expertise. Lee stated:
"Based on this, we will enhance synergy with Dunamu to further expand our business opportunities in the digital asset infrastructure market."
A Strategic Investment
Samsung SDS considered this investment as part of its broader strategy to seek inorganic growth opportunities, which also includes investments related 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 characterized this investment as one of the company's strategic initiatives aimed at expanding into the digital asset infrastructure sector.
This acquisition complements Samsung SDS's extensive technology portfolio, which includes business units and products in cloud computing, corporate IT services, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI). Rather than launching a consumer-facing crypto business, the company positions itself as a provider of the underlying infrastructure that powers digital asset services.
Regulatory Environment Remains a Focus
Samsung SDS's strategy is being developed against the backdrop of the ongoing evolution of South Korea's digital asset and stablecoin regulatory framework.
Lawmakers are discussing bills that would establish rules for stablecoin issuance and other digital asset-related activities, while policymakers continue to weigh the roles banks and non-bank companies should play in this sector. These discussions are expected to shape how the country's digital asset infrastructure develops in the coming years.
While Samsung SDS did not announce any new Dunamu-related products or commercial launches during the earnings call, Lee's remarks indicate the company sees long-term opportunity in providing corporate infrastructure for tokenized assets and stablecoin systems.
This strategy also aligns with Samsung SDS's broader technology expansion. During the earnings call, Lee stated that the company plans to increase its AI infrastructure capacity from approximately 110 megawatts today to 230 megawatts by 2029 and over 800 megawatts by 2031 as part of expanding its cloud and AI business lines.
Outlook
Samsung SDS did not announce timelines for launching new digital asset infrastructure solutions with Dunamu or Upbit, nor did it disclose specific joint projects during the earnings call.
Instead, Lee presented the investment as part of a long-term strategy combining Samsung SDS's corporate-sector technology capabilities with Dunamu's blockchain expertise, aiming to capitalize on opportunities in South Korea's evolving digital assets market. Whether this succeeds or not is a question only time can answer.
