Hanwha Asset Management, a leading South Korean investment management company, has teamed up with the Jito Foundation to lay the groundwork for new crypto investment products related to liquid staking.
The aim of the collaboration is to help lay the groundwork for the infrastructure required for the listing of exchange-traded products (ETPs) related to JitoSOL, which is a liquid staking token on the Solana blockchain.
Liquid staking is more flexible than traditional staking in that it allows investors to earn staking rewards while still being able to trade their assets.
Hanwha is taking this partnership as an opportunity to explore how such crypto products can be launched in the financial markets in South Korea, which are regulated.
Hanwha sees Jitosol as yield-generating investment option
Hanwha believes JitoSOL could offer investors a new way to earn returns while still keeping their assets liquid, something traditional investments often struggle to provide.
The firm says this makes it especially appealing for retirement and pension investors who want diversification without locking up their money for long periods.
Hanwha intends to develop JitoSOL for usage in regulated exchange-traded products (ETPs) through the collaboration with the Jito Foundation.
To achieve compliance standards, the task will entail establishing risk controls, constructing safe custody systems, and working with South Korean regulators.
The idea is to turn JitoSOL’s combined earnings model, regular staking rewards plus additional MEV income, into a structured investment product that fits within traditional financial markets.
Jito staked SOL ETP launch highlights growing global momentum
The action reflects current events throughout the world. The Jito Staked SOL ETP (JSOL) was introduced by 21Shares on Euronext last month.
In August of last year, VanEck submitted an S-1 registration statement for a JitoSOL ETF to the SEC in the United States; this statement is still pending.
Hanwha Asset Management, which managed about 6.4 trillion won ($4.44 billion) in assets as of mid-2025, is positioning itself early for South Korea’s growing digital asset market.
Its latest partnership reflects how large traditional financial firms are preparing for new crypto investment products as the country works toward clearer regulations.
South Korea is currently working on the Digital Asset Basic Act, which is a proposed law that will enable local institutions to issue crypto-based exchange-traded products (ETPs).
However, the development of the proposed law has been slowed down by disagreements on who should be allowed to issue stablecoins.
Regulators are of the opinion that licenses should be limited to banks, while others believe that this will limit competition and innovation in the digital asset market.