Hanwha Group, one of South Korea's largest industrial conglomerates, has emerged as the largest single shareholder in Securitize, a leading real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform, after acquiring a 9.6% stake worth approximately $473.6 million. This move represents a significant institutional endorsement of blockchain-based financial infrastructure and underscores a broader shift toward practical applications of tokenization beyond cryptocurrency trading.

What Is Securitize and Why Does This Investment Matter?

Securitize is an RWA infrastructure company that enables the issuance and distribution of traditional assets, including securities and funds, on blockchain networks. The platform is best known for helping operate BlackRock's tokenized fund, BUIDL, which has become a benchmark for institutional-grade tokenized products. According to an SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) filing, Hanwha Group holds a total of 15,689,509 Securitize shares through its affiliates and managed funds, surpassing Blockchain Capital's 6.0% stake and co-founder Carlos Domingo's 5.4% stake.

The investment signals that major traditional finance players are moving beyond skepticism toward active participation in digital asset infrastructure. As Evan Auyang, Group President at Animoca Brands, explained in a recent interview, the conversation in Web3 has shifted fundamentally. "The next chapter is really about institutional adoption, and it'll be accelerated by AI," he stated, noting that stablecoins and tokenized assets are becoming core infrastructure for global finance rather than speculative vehicles.

Evan Auyang, Group President at Animoca Brands

How Is Hanwha Positioning Itself in the Digital Asset Ecosystem?

Hanwha's investment in Securitize is part of a much larger strategic push into Web3 infrastructure. The conglomerate has invested a total of 655.8 billion won, approximately $473.6 million, this year across a range of digital asset and blockchain firms. This diversified portfolio approach reflects a deliberate strategy to participate in multiple layers of the emerging digital economy.

• Data Infrastructure: Xangle, which provides blockchain data and analytics services to institutional investors and traders.
• Wallet Solutions: Crithus, a digital asset wallet provider designed for institutional and retail users.
• Trading Platforms: Dunamu, a major cryptocurrency exchange operator in Asia.
• Institutional Networks: Digital Asset, which builds infrastructure for institutional-grade blockchain settlement and trading.
• Custody and Tokenization: Multiple firms covering asset custody, settlement, and tokenization services.

Hanwha Investment & Securities clarified that the Securitize investment was structured as a pre-IPO financial investment rather than part of a group-wide joint strategy. However, the company acknowledged the potential for strategic use of the stake in the digital asset and RWA sectors, leaving open the possibility of leveraging the position as tokenization infrastructure matures.

Why Are Institutions Suddenly Embracing Tokenization?

The institutional pivot toward tokenization is driven by concrete efficiency gains and cost savings. When moving trillions of dollars globally, even small percentage reductions in transaction costs and settlement times translate into substantial savings. Stablecoins, which are blockchain-based digital representations of traditional currencies like the US dollar, are no longer confined to crypto trading; they are becoming infrastructure for cross-border payments, settlements, and tokenized financial markets.

Auyang emphasized that blockchain's original purpose, established during the 2008 financial crisis with Bitcoin, was to create assets built on decentralized trust rather than centralized institutions. After cycles of innovation including NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and meme coins, the industry has now returned to practical applications. "Now we're back to the basics. It's about what the use cases are right now that can allow value to be captured utilizing this technology," he explained.

Auyang

Competitive pressure is also accelerating adoption. As more institutions embrace blockchain-based infrastructure, others face the question of whether they can afford to lag behind. This dynamic is pushing traditional finance firms to evolve, with the conversation shifting from whether institutions should embrace blockchain to whether they can afford not to.

How Are Governments Supporting Tokenization Infrastructure?

Regulatory frameworks are becoming increasingly important for connecting blockchain-based finance with traditional financial systems. Several major jurisdictions are actively developing digital asset infrastructure, with Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and the UAE leading the way. Many governments are pursuing regulated stablecoins because they want to preserve monetary sovereignty as more financial assets become tokenized.

According to Auyang, countries cannot afford complete dollarization of their financial systems because they would lose monetary policy independence. This explains why multiple jurisdictions are actively developing non-dollar stablecoins and digital asset frameworks. "You can basically expect every credible capital market will be working on this," he noted.

The DATS Awards (Digital Assets & Tokenized Securities Awards), an independent, non-profit program established in 2020, has become a key platform for recognizing excellence in tokenization and digital finance. The 2026 edition opened nominations on July 21, with a submission deadline of September 30, 2026. The awards program has attracted more than 500 nominees from over 20 countries and territories, recognizing more than 100 winners across all categories.

What Role Will Artificial Intelligence Play in Accelerating Adoption?

Artificial intelligence is expected to amplify tokenization trends by automating transactions and enabling software agents to participate directly in financial systems. AI agents require an internet-native financial infrastructure, and programmable money operating on blockchain networks provides a suitable mechanism for autonomous software to execute transactions continuously.

"Agents ultimately are going to use the blockchain to find investment opportunities, to facilitate payments, and that will accelerate use cases," Auyang stated. Unlike human workers, computers and AI agents operate at the speed of their calculations, which is significantly faster. This capability is expected to push traditional finance toward increasingly 24/7 market operations.

The convergence of tokenization, Web3, and AI-driven financial innovation is reshaping global financial infrastructure at an unprecedented pace. Hanwha's investment in Securitize represents a tangible signal that major institutional players are positioning themselves for this transformation. As regulatory frameworks mature and institutional adoption accelerates, the infrastructure layer supporting tokenized assets is becoming as important as the assets themselves.