UAE and South Korea can lead the next wave of digital finance, says Hanwha CEO

As Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025 continues to attract the world’s top financial leaders, South Korea’s Hanwha Finance is making its presence felt by sharing its vision for the future of finance.

In an interview with Gulf News, ByungHo Jang, CEO of Hanwha Investment & Securities, said the company aims to serve as a bridge between Korea and the UAE as both countries expand cooperation in AI, digital technologies, and on-chain finance.

“Global finance is entering a major shift, where traditional and decentralized systems are beginning to merge. This convergence is inevitable,” Jang said. “Our goal is to prepare for it and help shape the next stage of financial innovation.”

Abu Dhabi as a hub for innovation

Jang described ADFW as a platform to explore collaboration and called Abu Dhabi “a rising global financial hub,” particularly in digital innovation, AI, and blockchain-based finance.

“Korean finance has strong capabilities in mobile tech, fintech, and AI,” he said. “Abu Dhabi offers an open and progressive regulatory environment. Together, the two markets complement each other well.”

He added that ADFW provides an ideal setting to test new financial models and explore practical collaborations.

The vision: A digital financial operating system

During the event, Hanwha Investment & Securities presented its vision for a digital financial operating system, which blends the trust, regulation, and stability of traditional finance with the speed and openness of decentralized systems.

“We are entering a time when financial transactions, trust structures, and data systems are being redesigned,” Jang said. “Our goal is to prepare for that future by building on-chain financial infrastructure.”

He explained that traditional finance provides oversight and stability, while decentralized finance offers transparency and automated execution. Hanwha’s strategy is to combine the strengths of both.

“This is not just product innovation,” Jang said. “It’s a redefinition of the financial foundation itself. We want clients to experience a seamless on-chain journey connecting their assets, protection, and everyday financial needs.”

Building on-chain infrastructure and global partnerships

Hanwha is developing a security token (STO) platform as the first step in creating a full digital asset ecosystem, where issuance, custody, trading, and settlement occur on blockchain in real time.

The company has also expanded partnerships through investments in Web3 firms across the US, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia, helping source real-world assets and strengthen regulatory readiness.

“This network will support future global tokenization projects and region-specific strategies,” Jang said. “Our long-term goal is to build an integrated on-chain infrastructure for all Hanwha Group financial subsidiaries.”

AI-driven innovation for investors

Jang highlighted Hanwha’s use of AI tools to reduce information overload for investors, including topic-search functions for US stocks and AI-powered summaries of disclosures and market news.

“In the future, we aim to combine on-chain data with AI to deliver deeper insights,” he said.

He added that Hanwha is building global bases to secure real-world assets and private products suitable for on-chain finance. “We plan to design digital financial models tailored to each region,” he explained.

Korea–UAE cooperation in AI

Following the Korea–UAE AI cooperation MOU, Jang expects further collaboration on data infrastructure, pilot projects, and joint research.

“The UAE’s fast adoption of new technologies and innovation-friendly regulation make it an ideal partner,” he said. “Hanwha Finance wants to serve as a bridge between the two financial ecosystems.”

Preparing for the future of finance

Jang predicts that the next 5–10 years will see rapid digitalization of assets, real-time cross-border transactions, and increased AI automation across financial services.

“Global finance is moving toward full on-chain integration,” he said. “We want to strengthen our global network, with Abu Dhabi as a key hub, and grow into the world’s leading real-world asset (RWA) center.”

“Our mission is to connect Korea’s financial technology strengths with global markets,” he added.