Jito Steps into Korea with New Custody Deal

Jito Foundation has inked a deal with Korean custodian KODA, aiming to bring its JitoSOL token into South Korea’s growing crypto scene. The partnership focuses on secure storage and staking options for institutional players, a move that lines up with the country’s upcoming digital‑asset rules set to roll out later this year. The agreement signals a broader push by Jito to tap into South Korean finance. Earlier this year, the foundation partnered with Hanwha Asset Management to study a JitoSOL ETF, a project that will need government approval. The company’s APAC head says two main groups are showing strong interest: big banks wanting new wealth‑management tools and corporate treasuries eyeing JitoSOL’s yield potential. KODA brings a solid security stack, including cold storage, multi‑party computation key management, and institutional staking. It also offers a $20 million insurance pool for digital assets. The firm is backed by KB Kookmin Bank and holds a VASP license plus ISMS certification. Through KODA’s vault, clients can convert their SOL holdings into JitoSOL on the spot.JitoSOL itself is a liquid‑staking token built on Solana. Holders lock SOL and receive JitoSOL, which can be used across DeFi apps. The token already has a $930 million market cap and has seen institutional play in Europe via a 21Shares ETF. Other custodians, such as BitGo and Hex Trust, also support staking from custody accounts. South Korea is tightening its crypto rules. New licensing changes and a proposed cap on exchange ownership aim to curb market concentration. A February incident at Bithumb, where users mistakenly received 620, 000 BTC instead of won, highlighted oversight gaps and prompted stricter reconciliation standards. Lawmakers are now drafting bills that would treat stablecoins as foreign‑exchange instruments and require tokenized assets to be held in trust. The Bank of Korea has urged stronger internal controls, noting the sector lacks many safeguards found in traditional finance. The Jito‑KODA collaboration arrives at a time when Korean regulators are reshaping the industry. The partnership could give local institutions ready access to a secure, regulated pathway for JitoSOL, potentially boosting adoption as the country moves toward a more structured crypto framework.