Shinhan targets Canton Network to take Korean assets global

Shinhan Financial Group is moving to join the Canton Network’s governance structure as South Korea’s tokenized finance market grows. 

Local reports said Shinhan Asset Management and Shinhan Investment & Securities signed separate MOUs with the Canton Foundation.

The agreements aim to build a cooperation framework for policy discussions and technical development on Canton Network. Shinhan wants to use the network to study how Korean digital financial products can reach overseas investors.

The Canton Network is a public-permissioned blockchain built for institutional finance. It is designed to support tokenized assets, settlement and financial workflows while meeting privacy and regulatory needs.

Korean tokenized products take center stage

Shinhan Asset Management signed its MOU with the Canton Foundation on June 2. Shinhan Investment & Securities later signed a separate agreement on June 4.

The cooperation will focus on education and consultation around South Korea’s digital asset rules. It will also cover research into the global competitiveness of Korean tokenized financial products.

“We expect this to be an opportunity to introduce Shinhan Asset Management’s excellent financial products to global investors while complying with domestic regulations,” Shinhan Asset Management CEO Lee Seok-won said.

Shinhan Investment & Securities CEO Lee Sun-hoon also said the agreement could help introduce Korean digital finance and Shinhan assets to overseas investors through the Canton Foundation’s global network.

Canton Network expands institutional reach

Canton Global CEO Viv Diwaker welcomed Shinhan’s planned participation. He said Canton Network brings financial institutions, market infrastructure providers and ecosystem firms together to shape institutional blockchain systems.

“The Canton Network is a platform where financial institutions, market infrastructure providers, and ecosystem participants come together to shape the future of institutional blockchain infrastructure,” Diwaker said.

As previously reported by crypto.news, Canton Network has drawn attention from regulated finance firms because it focuses on privacy, settlement and tokenized asset activity. Digital Asset, the company behind Canton, was also reportedly seeking a $300 million funding round led by a16z crypto.

crypto.news has also reported that Visa joined Canton as a Super Validator and added the network to a stablecoin settlement pilot. That gave Canton more visibility among institutions working on compliant blockchain rails.

South Korea’s tokenization race grows

Shinhan’s move comes as South Korea prepares more market infrastructure for tokenized assets. crypto.news recently reported that Samsung SDS would build a tokenized securities system for Korea Securities Depository.

That project includes blockchain node management, gateway systems and distributed ledger tools. It shows how Korean market institutions are moving from tests toward operating systems for tokenized securities.

Shinhan affiliates have also been active in digital finance. As previously reported, Shinhan Card partnered with the Solana Foundation to test stablecoin-based payment systems.

The Canton MOU adds another layer to that activity. It places Shinhan’s asset management and securities arms closer to global tokenized finance infrastructure, while keeping the focus on regulatory compliance and cross-border access.

Shinhan Financial Group also plans to involve other affiliates, including Shinhan Fund Partners. The group will continue discussions on tokenized assets, digital finance and Canton Network policy participation.