Hana Financial and Standard Chartered Forge Global Alliance for Digital Assets

According to Local reports, South Korean banking giant Hana Financial Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Standard Chartered to collaborate on digital asset initiatives, including the development of stablecoins and institutional digital finance solutions. 

The partnership, signed at Hana Bank’s headquarters in Seoul, aims to combine both institutions’ global networks to explore new growth opportunities across traditional and digital financial sectors. This strategic alliance targets the integration of investment banking, capital markets, and foreign exchange with emerging Web3 technologies.

JUST IN: Hana Financial and Standard Chartered partner to expand digital asset services. The new MOU focuses on investment banking, treasury, and FX operations globally. Partnership indicates a deeper dive into digital assets with won-stablecoin development collaboration.

— RWA Pulse – by RWA.io (@rwa_pulse) March 16, 2026

How do traditional banks benefit from digital asset partnerships

The collaboration allows both groups to leverage their respective financial technology capabilities to create a competitive edge in the global arena. 

Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo noted that the partnership will create “new growth space” through collaboration in future financial domains. For Standard Chartered, which already offers Bitcoin ($BTC) and Ethereum ($ETH) spot trading and custody services in Europe and Asia, the deal marks a significant milestone in expanding its reach into Korea, a key Asian financial hub.

Stablecoin roles in global banking expansion

A central focus of the MOU is the joint exploration of stablecoin projects to streamline cross-border payments and enhance liquidity. Standard Chartered is currently a leading contender for stablecoin issuance licenses in Hong Kong, while Hana Financial has been active in building a domestic stablecoin ecosystem through various consortiums. 

By focusing on stablecoins, the firms aim to reduce settlement friction and provide regulated digital instruments for global institutional clients. Hana Financial has steadily expanded its Web3 footprint, notably through its 2024 venture with BitGo and SK Telecom to establish BitGo Korea. This mirrors a broader industry trend where large banks are moving toward offering crypto services to institutional clients.