– MOU with Hashed Ventures on ‘Blockchain Startup Searching & Ecosystem Development’

– 21.7 million USD investment to search promising blockchain players and seek joint business opportunities

… Also acting as an external cooperation partner of SK Group’s blockchain business

– “Blockchain investment will be encouraged to lead the company’s future growth”

SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 4, 2022 — SK networks has chosen blockchain business reinforcement as a key strategy to ensure future growth, and it is now seeking cooperation with Hashed, a specialized blockchain investment company.

SK networks (CEO: Sang Kyu Park) announced on February 04 that it has signed an MOU on ‘Blockchain Startup Searching & Ecosystem Development’ with Hashed Ventures (CEO: Seo Joon Kim), a startup investment company established by Hashed. The announcement included planned execution of 21.7 million USD investment as well.

Hashed is a leading blockchain firm in Korea, engaged in blockchain technology investment and decentralization projects across the global market since its foundation in 2017. It has offered investment for blockchain teams with innovative technologies and services including Kakao’s Klaytn, Line’s Link, Terra, Axie Infinity and dydx. Seo Joon Kim, the CEO of Hashed, is known as a blockchain expert with high understanding of and insight into the market.

According to this agreement, the two companies agreed to work together on incorporating blockchain technology into the existing business models of SK Rent-a-Car and SK Magic, a subsidiary of SK networks, while seeking investment opportunities in promising global blockchain startups. It has been decided that Hashed Ventures will play the role of a key cooperation partner in carrying out the blockchain business of SK Group affiliates in the future. Through this, SK networks aims to stimulate global investment in blockchain and increase the synergy between promising future areas and company business.

Won Hee Lee, the head of SK networks Blockchain Business Division, said "This MOU with Hashed will allow SK networks to gain an important insight into the company’s future business models in relation to blockchain," and added, "The blockchain ecosystem development will be a win-win for both companies and the blockchain business will be encouraged to drive the growth of SK networks."