Traditional Financial Groups Bet on Stablecoins: Hana Financial's Digital Asset Transition Path

Han Young-joo, Chairman of Hana Financial Group, sent an important signal in his New Year address: stablecoins are not only the future but also the strategic growth engine for this traditional financial giant. This is not a simple investment layout but a deep restructuring of business architecture. Against the backdrop of capital accelerating from traditional banking systems to emerging fields, Hana Financial has chosen to take proactive action.

From Passive Response to Active Layout

The strategic significance of a complete ecosystem

Ham Young-joo emphasized that the group needs to build a comprehensive digital asset ecosystem covering issuance, distribution, usage, and circulation. This means Hana Financial is not aiming to simply participate in the stablecoin market but to become a full participant in the ecosystem.

The key points of this approach are:

• Issuance: owning the creation and pricing rights of stablecoins
• Distribution: establishing distribution networks through cross-industry and cross-regional cooperation
• Usage: enabling stablecoins to circulate in real-world scenarios
• Circulation: forming a closed-loop ecosystem to enhance user stickiness

In comparison, merely staying within the “existing framework to compete” is obviously outdated. This reflects an upgrade in traditional financial institutions’ understanding of the digital asset track.

Three dimensions of strategic shift

The chairman’s New Year speech actually reveals three key transformations of Hana Financial:

Practical constraints and opportunities

Regulatory uncertainty

Ham Young-joo candidly pointed out that digital assets are still in the political discussion stage for inclusion in the regulatory system, and the actual impact of stablecoins is difficult to assess accurately. This statement is crucial—it acknowledges both opportunities and risks.

This uncertainty means:

• Application scenarios for stablecoins may be limited
• Regulatory policies could influence ecosystem deployment
• Early deployment involves policy risks

But precisely because of this uncertainty, early layout becomes more valuable.

Why act now

The chairman emphasized that the group needs to undertake “fundamental innovation,” and this is not empty talk. Under the dual impact of AI development and changes in capital flow patterns, the survival logic of traditional financial institutions is changing.

His view is straightforward: relying solely on scale and past success is no longer sufficient for long-term survival. This implies:

• Core businesses like investment banking, risk management, and corporate credit assessment need systemic restructuring
• Internal inertia and path dependence must be overcome
• A more urgent approach is needed to find new growth points

Stablecoins happen to be the breakthrough for this transformation.

Signals of change in Korea’s financial ecosystem

Hana Financial’s move is not isolated. It reflects an attitude adjustment of South Korea, a major technological and financial country, in the digital asset field. A chairman of a traditional financial giant openly stating the strategic value of stablecoins in his New Year address indicates that Korea’s financial industry is re-evaluating the status of cryptocurrencies and digital assets.

This may imply:

• Korean traditional financial institutions will accelerate their digital asset deployment
• Stablecoins may receive more institutional support in Korea
• Cross-industry cooperation will become a new paradigm for the digital asset ecosystem

Summary

Hana Financial Chairman’s New Year address marks a fundamental shift in traditional financial institutions’ attitude toward stablecoins— from watchful waiting to active participation. Stablecoins are regarded as a growth engine not only because of their technological attributes but also because they represent a complete ecosystem opportunity.

The core point is: this is not a fleeting trend chase but a strategic response to structural changes in finance. Hana Financial has chosen to lay out early by building a complete ecosystem, engaging in cross-industry cooperation, and pursuing systemic innovation to address future uncertainties. For the entire industry, this signal is very clear—stablecoins have moved from the fringes of cryptocurrencies to the center of the financial system, and the participation of traditional financial institutions will only accelerate this process.