Hanwha Finance is expanding its financial cooperation with Abu Dhabi through new partnerships focused on digital assets, capital markets, digital banking and cross-border financial infrastructure, advancing what the South Korean financial group describes as a “Digital Asset Silk Road” between Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
Hanwha Life signed a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, or ADIO, while Hanwha Asset Management joined Abu Dhabi Global Market and Hana Financial Group in a separate memorandum of understanding covering stablecoins and financial infrastructure. Hanwha Finance also partnered with ADGM for Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2026.
Hanwha Finance comprises Hanwha Life, Hanwha General Insurance, Hanwha Investment & Securities and Hanwha Asset Management. The new agreements were announced following the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum Seoul, which brought together financial and investment executives from Korea and Abu Dhabi.
Under the partnership between Hanwha Life and ADIO, the organizations plan to collaborate across three primary areas: building a digital asset ecosystem, strengthening links between the Korean and Abu Dhabi financial and capital markets, and advancing digital banking and financial innovation.
The partnership will also explore potential digital asset business opportunities, including the tokenization of real-world assets.
Real-world asset tokenization is emerging as a significant area of interest across global financial markets as banks, asset managers and technology companies explore ways to represent traditional financial and physical assets on blockchain-based infrastructure.
The arrangement could create additional opportunities for Hanwha Life to connect Korean financial products, capital and digital-finance capabilities with Abu Dhabi’s rapidly growing financial ecosystem.
Hanwha Asset Management is pursuing a related strategy through its agreement with ADGM and Hana Financial Group.
The three organizations plan to explore cooperation around stablecoins and cross-border financial infrastructure, including payment and remittance systems connecting Korea and Abu Dhabi. The partnership is also intended to support development of a sustainable and interoperable digital asset ecosystem.
The focus on interoperability reflects a broader challenge within digital finance. While stablecoins and tokenized assets can move rapidly within individual blockchain networks, cross-border financial systems still require regulatory coordination, liquidity, compliance infrastructure and connections between traditional and digital financial institutions.
Hanwha Asset Management’s involvement could help bridge those systems by combining asset management capabilities with emerging digital payment and settlement infrastructure.
Hanwha Finance is also strengthening its institutional presence in Abu Dhabi through a partnership with ADGM for Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2026, which is scheduled to take place in the UAE capital in December.
The relationship builds on financial connections that Hanwha began developing through Abu Dhabi Finance Week in 2025.
ADGM has become an increasingly important financial hub for global asset managers, banks, fintech companies and digital asset businesses seeking access to Middle Eastern capital and regional markets.
The new partnerships come as economic ties between South Korea and the UAE continue to expand across technology, finance and investment.
ADIO said Korea is an important partner for Abu Dhabi because of its capabilities in financial services, technology and innovation. The organization plans to use the Hanwha relationship to explore additional opportunities involving digital assets and financial innovation while connecting Abu Dhabi’s financial ecosystem with international markets.
ADGM similarly sees opportunities to attract additional Korean businesses and investors to Abu Dhabi.
The financial center provides companies with access to capital and a regulatory environment designed to support international financial businesses. ADGM said it intends to strengthen relationships with Korean companies seeking to establish or expand operations across the UAE and other regional and global markets.
For Hanwha Finance, the agreements are part of a broader strategy to expand beyond its domestic Korean market and deepen its presence across global digital finance, Web3 and wealth management.
Hanwha Finance manages approximately $130 billion in assets and is increasingly incorporating artificial intelligence, big data and digital technologies into its financial services businesses.
The group’s Abu Dhabi strategy could ultimately connect several areas of financial infrastructure, including conventional capital markets, tokenized assets, stablecoins, cross-border payments and digital banking.
Rather than treating digital assets as a standalone business, Hanwha appears to be positioning them as another layer connecting traditional financial institutions and markets across Korea and the Middle East.
The company sees the relationships with ADIO and ADGM as a way to convert that strategy into commercial opportunities while building a larger international financial network.
KEY QUOTES:
“Through our partnership with Hanwha we look forward to exploring opportunities across digital finance, digital assets, and financial innovation, while strengthening connections between Abu Dhabi’s financial ecosystem and key international markets.”
Fatima Al Hammadi, Head of the Fintech, Insurance, Digital and Alternative Investments Cluster at ADIO
“Through this agreement, we will turn our cooperation with Abu Dhabi’s financial ecosystem into tangible business opportunities. Building on this partnership, we will further strengthen Hanwha Life’s foundations for growth as a leading global financial institution.”
Hyek Woong Kwon, Vice Chairman and CEO of Hanwha Life
“We will contribute to building a stable and interoperable digital asset ecosystem while continuing to strengthen our competitiveness in the global digital finance sector.”
Dongjun Im, CEO of Hanwha Asset Management