Meritz Securities to Launch Fractional Ship Investment in November, Expand Into Tokenized Securities Next Year

Meritz Securities is strategically expanding its tokenized securities business in South Korea, beginning with a pilot project for fractional ship investment in collaboration with the Korea Ocean Business Corp. The brokerage plans to issue bond-type trust beneficiary certificates backed by maritime assets, aiming for a listing on the Korea Exchange’s market for innovative securities by the end of 2026. Managing Director Kang Byung-ha emphasized that while current RWA revenue for traditional financial institutions remains negligible due to high infrastructure costs, the firm is positioning itself for long-term growth over the next three to five years. The initiative seeks to diversify the local fractional investment market, which has historically been limited to assets like art and copyrights. By leveraging blockchain technology, Meritz aims to eventually facilitate cross-border capital flows, potentially allowing Korean investors to access private U.S. equities and global investors to trade major Korean stocks like Samsung Electronics. Kang noted that the success of this transition depends on regulatory frameworks that balance investor protection with market demand. Ultimately, the firm views tokenization as a tool to remove capital borders, arguing that the ability to package and distribute assets will eventually drive net inflows into the Korean market.