Shinhan Asset Management, Plume Launch KRW Tokenized Fund Pilot

Tokenized funds place conventional fund interests on blockchain rails, potentially shortening settlement and widening cross-border distribution. Shinhan Asset Management’s project uses a KRW-denominated ultra-short-term bond fund as the underlying asset and takes cues from BlackRock’s dollar-based BUIDL fund. The initiative matters because it tests whether Korean financial products can reach an on-chain money market still dominated by U.S. dollar offerings while preserving the compliance controls expected of regulated asset managers.

Shinhan Asset Management said on Aug. 14, 2026, that it signed an MOU with real-world asset blockchain Plume Network for an offshore proof of concept. The partners will simulate token issuance and distribution, including KYC and anti-money-laundering checks, but will exclude Korean residents and will not distribute actual tokens. No pilot size or investment amount was disclosed. The work is intended to prepare infrastructure ahead of South Korea’s security-token framework, expected to take effect in 2027, and assess future cross-border use of KRW products.