Samsung SDS, the IT services arm of Samsung Group, says it is exploring cooperation with Dunamu—operator of South Korea’s Upbit exchange—across stablecoin infrastructure, digital asset systems and AI-enabled payment models. The discussions were outlined during Samsung SDS’ second-quarter earnings call on Thursday, according to remarks from CEO Lee Jun-hee.
The effort also arrives as Samsung Electronics continues to expand its digital asset footprint, including recent plans to add stablecoin support to Samsung Wallet. Together, the moves point to a broader push by Samsung-related entities toward regulated digital finance rails rather than purely retail-facing crypto features.
Key takeaways
- Samsung SDS is in talks with Dunamu on stablecoin infrastructure and broader digital asset system development.
- CEO Lee Jun-hee framed the Dunamu relationship as expansion in infrastructure capabilities, not a standalone financial investment.
- Samsung affiliates already have ties to Dunamu: Samsung Securities, Samsung SDS and Samsung Card agreed to buy a combined 4% stake in May 2026.
- Samsung SDS’ Q2 results show growth across cloud and AI-related services, providing business momentum for its digital finance ambitions.
- South Korea’s regulatory direction for stablecoins remains a key variable for how such infrastructure partnerships develop.
Samsung SDS and Dunamu explore stablecoin and digital finance infrastructure
During its Q2 earnings call, Samsung SDS CEO Lee Jun-hee said the company is discussing potential cooperation with Dunamu on stablecoin infrastructure, digital asset systems, and AI-based payment business models. Lee also referenced Samsung SDS’ own work in tokenized securities and stablecoin workflow validation as proof points for why it expects the partnership to strengthen its position in digital asset infrastructure.
Lee noted that Samsung SDS has already secured “differentiated business capabilities” through the Korea Securities Depository’s tokenized securities platform project and through end-to-end validation of a full stablecoin process—from issuance through settlement. The company’s stated aim is to combine its IT services, cloud and security capabilities with Dunamu’s blockchain expertise.
In the Q2 transcript, Samsung SDS said the partnership goal is to “lead this market” by pairing the two firms’ respective strengths. However, Samsung SDS did not provide additional detail on timelines, specific technical approaches, or the scope of any prospective commercial offering.
Cointelegraph previously reported Samsung Electronics’ plan to add stablecoin support to Samsung Wallet, and this new development suggests the Samsung ecosystem is aligning infrastructure capability with consumer-facing wallets. While Samsung Wallet would be a distribution layer, stablecoin infrastructure and enterprise digital asset systems typically sit behind the scenes—supporting issuance, settlement, custody integrations, and compliance-oriented workflows.
Earlier stake tie deepens: strategic rather than financial intent
The talks with Dunamu follow a prior move that increased Samsung affiliates’ exposure to South Korea’s digital asset sector. In May 2026, Samsung Securities, Samsung SDS and Samsung Card agreed to buy a combined 4% stake in Dunamu. That transaction strengthened existing commercial ties and underscored that Samsung-related companies are looking beyond pilots.
In the latest Q2 call, Lee reportedly characterized Samsung SDS’ investment in Dunamu as strategic rather than purely financial. He said both companies plan to refine potential business models for digital financial infrastructure, suggesting that any future cooperation could extend beyond infrastructure experiments into more defined productization.
Samsung SDS did not immediately respond to Cointelegraph’s request for comment, and Dunamu declined to comment. That limits what can be said publicly about how negotiations are progressing or whether agreements are already in place for specific use cases.
How Samsung SDS’ cloud and AI expansion could reinforce digital finance plans
Samsung SDS’ stablecoin and digital asset ambitions are being presented alongside broader growth in cloud and AI services. In its Q2 earnings presentation and related figures, Samsung SDS reported Q2 revenue of 3.72 trillion Korean won (about $2.6 billion), up 5.9% year on year. The company cited cloud momentum as a major contributor, including a 17% increase in cloud revenue from the prior year and a jump in external cloud business revenue of 75%.
Samsung SDS attributed part of the external cloud growth to demand for its cloud platform and graphics processing unit-as-a-service offerings. That emphasis matters because stablecoin infrastructure and tokenized financial systems often depend on the same enterprise capabilities—secure hosting, scalable compute, identity and access controls, and reliability under transaction load.
The company also reportedly outlined plans to expand its AI infrastructure capacity—from about 110 megawatts today to 230 MW by 2029, and more than 800 MW by 2031. If executed, such expansion would further position Samsung SDS to deliver data-intensive services for AI-driven finance workflows, including risk analytics, fraud detection, and automated settlement-related monitoring.
Still, investors and builders should distinguish between infrastructure readiness and regulatory authorization. Stablecoin use in retail payments, treasury operations, or tokenized assets typically depends on compliance frameworks and the specific licensing/oversight model in the relevant jurisdiction.
What this means for South Korea’s digital finance ecosystem
South Korea has been moving toward clearer stablecoin and crypto regulation, and industry participants are watching how the rules will translate into real, compliant payment and settlement deployments. Earlier coverage from Cointelegraph noted that a South Korea report proposed stablecoin rules ahead of a broader crypto law framework.
Against that backdrop, Samsung SDS’ focus on end-to-end stablecoin process validation—from issuance to settlement—reads like an attempt to be ready for both technical and compliance requirements. Rather than targeting speculative applications, the company appears to be building capabilities that can support regulated flows once the legal environment permits or clarifies specific models.
At the same time, the partnership’s practical impact will hinge on what “AI-based payment business models” ultimately involve. AI can be used in customer authentication, compliance monitoring, market surveillance, and payment risk assessment, but the boundaries of acceptable use will depend on data policies and the final regulatory approach.
For traders and users, these initiatives may not immediately change day-to-day trading volumes or retail access. For developers and institutional stakeholders, however, infrastructure partnerships can matter because they affect integration timelines, operational reliability, and the availability of custody/settlement tooling that exchanges and financial platforms can adopt.
Next, the key question is whether Samsung SDS and Dunamu will move from exploratory cooperation into concrete deployments—particularly in stablecoin issuance/settlement workflows and any wallet or payment integrations tied to Samsung’s consumer products. Observers should also watch for updates as South Korea’s stablecoin regulatory trajectory progresses, since the permitted use cases will likely determine what infrastructure work can scale commercially.
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