Dunamu, the parent entity of Upbit, has announced a strategic partnership with Visa. The partnership will explore stablecoin payments, AI-driven financial services, and international remittances.
Dunamu CEO Oh Kyung-seok and Visa Global President Oliver Jenkyn presented a roadmap for the partnership at Visa’s Global Market Support Center on August 26. However, they have not disclosed any product structure, launch date, blockchain, custody model, jurisdiction, or price details.
Dunamu and Visa Form Strategic Partnership
The partnership agreement was signed by Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited. Wu Blockchain elaborated on the partnership, saying the companies intend to combine Dunamu’s digital asset infrastructure with Visa’s global payments network. It will also explore stablecoin payments, global transfers, merchant settlements, AI-driven financial services, international remittances, and new user experiences.
“Dunamu, the operator of South Korea’s largest crypto exchange Upbit, has entered a strategic partnership with Visa to explore stablecoin payments, global remittances, and AI-driven financial services. The two sides are also considering business models based on the Open Standard dollar stablecoin OUSD. The specific service structure has not yet been determined.”
According to Dunamu and Visa, the partnership will consider applicable laws and regulatory requirements and develop services in a staggered manner. However, the announcement does not commit to a product launch or to offer stablecoin payments through Upbit. Dunamu added that the partnership will focus on regulatory compliance, transparency, interoperability, and stability. However, it did not elaborate on who would manage customer assets and compliance duties.
Meanwhile, Visa has expanded its stablecoin settlements and programmable payment work. It has also announced new infrastructure designed for AI-directed transactions, tokenized deposits, and stablecoins.
Will Open USD Be Part of the Arrangement
Dunamu and Visa also plan to evaluate business models involving the Open USD (OUSD). OUSD is a dollar-backed stablecoin developed using the Open Standard initiative. OUSD will support global payments and allows businesses to mint or redeem tokens without imposing any fee or volume limits. Open Standard lists Visa, Mastercard, BlackRock, Coinbase, and Dunamu among the organizations supporting the initiative.
However, Dunamu said in July that it did not agree to issue the OUSD stablecoin or participate in its launch and clarified it was still reviewing the proposal. The Visa partnership confirms that Dunamu will explore OUSD-based models. However, it does not clarify whether it will issue or operate the stablecoin.
Focus on Agentic Commerce
One of the partnership’s key focuses is payment infrastructure for agentic commerce. Agentic commerce is a digital shopping model in which AI models search, compare, select, and pay for products or services on behalf of users. Dunamu and Visa plan to explore the technology that supports the authorization, payment, and settlement for transactions completed by agentic commerce models. However, they have not disclosed how users will approve purchases, set spending limits, or dispute any transaction initiated and executed by AI agents.
AI purchases also raise several questions involving identity, consent, fraud, and liability. Additionally, stablecoin transactions are irreversible once completed on-chain. Visa has developed several tools to address these concerns, including AI agent verification and greater merchant control over automated transactions.
South Korean Legislation Could Affect Partnership
South Korea is yet to create a comprehensive regulatory framework for stablecoins, with lawmakers still debating who can issue won-based tokens and whether bank ownership should be mandatory. Additionally, dollar-based payment and remittance services could also be subject to the country’s anti-money laundering, foreign exchange, and virtual asset rules. Dunamu has acknowledged that regulatory developments in South Korea could affect its partnership with Visa. The company is also discussing stablecoin infrastructure with domestic technology and financial companies.
Visa and Shinhan Partnership
Visa’s partnership with Dunamu comes days after it announced a strategic agreement with the Shinhan Financial Group to test stablecoin issuance, remittance, and redemption on its payment platform. The agreement allows Shinhan to test stablecoin functions on Visa’s existing platform and create a business model that aligns with South Korea’s market. Shinhan also plans to connect Visa’s global payment network to its subsidiaries, including Shinhan Bank, Shinhan Card, and Jeju Bank. Jin Ok-dong, CEO of Shinhan Financial Group, stated that the agreement builds on its existing partnership with Visa and offers “differentiated financial experiences to customers.”
“Through this agreement, we have expanded our long-standing partnership with Visa to the broader digital finance sector.”
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
