Jongmin Son is the Executive Vice President and Head of the Digital Division at Hanwha Investment & Securities. He is a key figure in architecting the company's strategic expansion into digital assets, Web3, and asset tokenization. Son has spearheaded major strategic investments and partnerships with global technology firms and has represented Hanwha's financial affiliates on the world stage to discuss the future of digital finance. ^[1]​

Education

Jongmin Son pursued his undergraduate education at Seoul National University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration between 1998 and 2005. Following his bachelor's degree, he attended The University of Chicago Booth School of Business in the United States, obtaining a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from 2006 to 2008. ^[1]

Career

Early Career

Son began his professional career in 2005 as a Manager at SK Telecom, a major South Korean telecommunications company. After completing his MBA in 2008, he transitioned to the financial sector, joining J.P. Morgan as an Associate, where he worked until March 2011. Following his tenure in investment banking, Son moved into venture capital, serving as a Director at SoftBank Ventures Asia from March 2011 to November 2016, which served as a basis for working with digital assets. ^[1]​

Hanwha Investment & Securities

In November 2016, Son joined Hanwha Investment & Securities as the Executive Vice President and was tasked with leading its Digital Division. In this capacity, he has been responsible for formulating and executing the company's strategy for digital innovation. One of his early achievements was leading the establishment of Hanwha's digital business, which included the launch of the company's mobile trading system (MTS), 'STEPS'. ^[1]​

His role has since expanded to spearhead the firm's broader push into emerging financial technologies, focusing on asset tokenization and bridging traditional financial infrastructure with the digital asset ecosystem. While his formal title is Executive Vice President and Head of the Digital Division, he has also been identified in company announcements and media reports by related titles such as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and Executive Director of the Future Strategy Office, reflecting his central role in the firm's strategic direction for technology and digital assets. ^{[1] [2] [3]}​

Digital Strategy and Initiatives

As the head of Hanwha's digital initiatives, Son has publicly articulated a vision for the company to become a specialized digital asset securities firm through partnerships and technological integration.

World Economic Forum 2026

In January 2026, Son was a member of the Hanwha Finance delegation at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. During the event, he participated in key discussions on topics such as "The Future of Financial Services" and "Tokenization Economies." He used the forum to engage with global fintech leaders about potential collaborations and shared his perspective on the inevitable impact of tokenization on financial markets. ^[1]​

At Davos, Son commented on the future of asset management, stating:

"Tokenization is not a matter of 'if' but 'when'. It will fundamentally reshape how assets are created, managed, and traded. Our goal at Hanwha is to be at the forefront of this transformation, building the necessary infrastructure and products for institutional and retail clients." ^[1]

Strategic Investments and Partnerships

Under Son's leadership, Hanwha Investment & Securities has pursued an active strategy of investing in and partnering with key players in the blockchain and digital asset industry.

Xangle Investment

In February 2026, Son led a strategic investment of 10 billion KRW into CrossAngle, the operator of the blockchain data and research platform Xangle. He stated that the investment was intended to secure a competitive advantage for Hanwha by integrating its digital asset business with Xangle's on-chain data analysis and research capabilities. This move was part of a broader global Web3 business strategy for Hanwha, which reportedly includes plans to acquire stakes in a Singapore-based digital asset bank and establish a joint venture in the United States. ^[1]​

Regarding the collaboration, Son commented on the goal:

"to strengthen information competitiveness by combining Hanwha's digital asset capabilities with [Xangle](https://iq.wiki/wiki/xangle)'s on-chain data and research." He added that Hanwha plans to "strengthen strategic cooperation to expand the global web3 ecosystem." ^[3]

Kresus Investment

Also in February 2026, Son provided commentary on a $13 million strategic investment Hanwha made into Kresus, a U.S.-based firm specializing in blockchain infrastructure and digital wallets. Son highlighted that the investment was driven by Kresus's advanced wallet security technology and its infrastructure for real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. He described these capabilities as "central to advancing Hanwha's digital asset capabilities" and affirmed the company's overarching strategy "to collaborate with global technology firms to evolve into a specialized digital asset securities firm." ^[2]​

Bitget Partnership

In February 2026, Son's division signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the global cryptocurrency exchange Bitget. The stated purpose of the collaboration is to jointly develop and launch new financial products, including a digital asset fund based on quantitative trading strategies. The partnership aims to combine Hanwha's traditional financial expertise and client base with Bitget's digital asset technology and platform. ^[1]​

On the partnership, Son remarked:

"Partnering with a leading global exchange like Bitget is a significant step in our journey to bridge traditional finance with the digital asset world. This collaboration will enable us to provide our clients with secure and innovative crypto investment opportunities." ^[1]