[BizHanKook] Finger, a first-generation domestic fintech company and KOSDAQ-listed firm, is introducing a Security Token Offering (STO) solution. Token securities refer to securities issued and managed using blockchain (distributed ledger) technology. Finger's STO solution, which supports everything from issuance to distribution and management of token securities, will be serviced through the Naver Cloud Platform marketplace. Finger, which welcomed Seoryong Electronics as its largest shareholder last April, is embarking on the STO solution market in earnest ahead of the legalization of token securities, all while expanding its business scope through active M&A and investments.
B2B fintech firm Finger is launching an STO solution brand called 'ONESTO'. Meaning "honest STO," ONESTO is a platform that provides integrated support from the issuance to the distribution and management of token securities. According to Finger, ONESTO is a white-label service that adopts the STO solution of blockchain company EQBR and provides it under its own brand.
Finger plans to officially launch ONESTO on the Naver Cloud Platform (NCP) marketplace in 2027. Financial institutions and fractional investment operators will be able to start token securities businesses through ONESTO on Naver Cloud without needing to build separate infrastructure. Finger and Naver Cloud signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last March to build a cloud-based integrated STO service based on both companies' technologies and infrastructure.
A Finger official explained, "While ONESTO is a solution capable of both token securities issuance and distribution, we are continuing development to optimize it for STO-related legislation taking effect in February 2027. We envisioned it as a service that discovers STO products that investors will welcome, consults with issuers on their STO products, and provides everything from subscription to operation through the platform."
Ahead of the solution's launch, Finger filed 8 trademark applications related to 'ONESTO' on October 23. The designated products and services for ONESTO include: △Digital token issuance and brokerage; △Digital financial asset management based on blockchain technology; and △Software for electronic financial transaction platforms for stablecoin, cryptocurrency, blockchain token, and digital asset trading.
Founded in 2000, Finger operates in various fields including finance, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, blockchain, and token securities. Its core business is the development and provision of smart financial platforms for financial/public institutions and IT companies, having built banking systems for major domestic financial firms since the early 2000s. Its cloud-based smart Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, 'Pharos,' for small and medium-sized enterprises is also one of Finger's key services.
Finger saw a change in its largest shareholder last April. Four companies—Seoryong Electronics, Sungho Electronics, MoonPay, and Pantos Holdings—invested approximately 110 billion KRW to acquire Finger. Following the acquisition, Seoryong Electronics became the largest shareholder with a 24.08% stake. Seoryong Electronics acts as a holding company for Sungho Electronics, a professional manufacturer of electronic components with over 50 years of experience. At the time of the acquisition, Sungho Electronics CEO Park Sung-jae stated, "We will build next-generation corporate digital financial services that connect financial accounting data within ERP with payment infrastructure."
MoonPay is a global company that provides digital asset transaction infrastructure. It has been engaged in businesses such as virtual asset payments, stablecoin issuance/infrastructure provision, and cross-border remittance/payment support. Lee Bu-geon, Head of Asia Pacific at MoonPay, who was also appointed as an executive director at Finger, mentioned, "A path has opened to combine MoonPay's stablecoin issuance, swap, and cross-border payment infrastructure with Finger's domestic financial software network."
Pantos Holdings is a company 100% owned by Koo Bon-ho, a member of the third generation of the LG family. Pantos Holdings participated as a strategic investor during the acquisition of Finger. At the time of the investment, Pantos Holdings announced plans to commercialize a service that settles inter-company trade payments in stablecoins by linking Finger's cloud ERP solution 'Pharos' with MoonPay's digital asset payment infrastructure.
However, Finger stated that it is not collaborating with MoonPay regarding this token securities business. A Finger official replied, "MoonPay is aware that Finger is conducting an STO business, but there is no cooperation. In the case of stablecoins, relevant legislation has not yet been passed, and since STO legislation is just about to be implemented, it is difficult to discuss business integration at this point."
Meanwhile, Finger has been expanding its business scope through M&A and investment since being acquired by Seoryong Electronics. By securing traditional manufacturing, physical AI firms, and secondary battery equipment companies, it appears to be leaping toward becoming a comprehensive technology company. In October, Finger invested approximately 14 billion KRW to acquire management rights for Jeil M&S, a secondary battery mixing equipment company undergoing rehabilitation procedures. The Jeil M&S acquisition battle was led by Purun Investment, a venture capital (VC) firm affiliated with the Purun Group, which is classified as part of the wider LG family.
In July, it entered the physical AI market by acquiring a 79% stake in Mikello Robotics, an AI-based industrial robot company, for approximately 16 billion KRW. Mikello Robotics is a startup founded in 2022 that developed AI solutions specialized for surface treatment processes based on technology that learns and automates the movements of skilled workers in real time.
Prior to that, Finger acquired stakes in Jinseong Industrial, Bareun Window, and Uiseong Sanitary—all held by Sungho Electronics—for 700 million KRW (49%), 5.1 billion KRW (49%), and 6.5 billion KRW (36%), respectively. Jinseong Industrial and Bareun Window are fire door manufacturing and sales companies, while Uiseong Sanitary is a valve and fitting company. It subsequently acquired an 89% stake in Dongkwang Luxury Door, another fire door manufacturer, for 20.2 billion KRW. The purpose of these acquisitions is business diversification through the intake of manufacturers.
Finger has also jumped into the acquisition of SeAH FSI, a company specializing in metal piping. SeAH FSI was formerly an affiliate of the SeAH Group but was sold to the private equity fund Affirma Capital in 2022. Finger is pursuing a deal to acquire both SeAH FSI and S&G Holdings, a Hong Kong holding company that manages SeAH FSI's overseas subsidiaries, for a total of 155 billion KRW. It plans to secure the necessary funds through financial investor (FI) investments and loans.
On the other hand, it has also divested from some existing businesses. Although Finger had entered the financial investment business, it cleared out related operations early this year. It sold its stake in Finger Partners, a subsidiary established in April 2023 with 2.5 billion KRW in capital, for 2 billion KRW this past January. It also liquidated the collective investment securities it held (Finger Smart KOSDAQ Venture General Private Investment Trust No. 1) in February.