Wavebridge signs MOU with Jito Foundation to bring JitoSOL institutional products to South Korea

Wavebridge, a licensed Virtual Asset Service Provider headquartered in Seoul, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jito Foundation to develop JitoSOL-based institutional products specifically designed for the South Korean market. The deal pairs one of Korea’s established digital asset infrastructure firms with the operator behind Solana’s largest liquid staking token.

What the partnership actually involves

Under the agreement, Wavebridge will handle the heavy lifting on custody, product structuring, and distribution. The Jito Foundation, meanwhile, will provide technical guidance on staking mechanics, reward structures, and the risk profile of JitoSOL.

JitoSOL is a liquid staking token on Solana that combines standard staking rewards with MEV (maximal extractable value) rewards. Holders earn yield from both validating transactions and from the extra value that gets captured when transactions are ordered optimally. Over 14 million SOL have been deposited into the JitoSOL protocol as of early 2026, making it the dominant liquid staking option on Solana by a wide margin.

The MOU was signed around July 27, 2026. Beyond just product development, the two organizations plan to publish a joint research note on domestic digital asset ETFs. That research effort reportedly involves other market participants, including Hanwha Asset Management, one of South Korea’s established asset managers.

Mark Liu, the Jito Foundation’s Asia-Pacific head, described Wavebridge as “the ideal partner” for introducing JitoSOL within South Korea’s regulated market infrastructure. He framed the partnership as a strategic move focused on long-term growth rather than a quick product launch.

Wavebridge CEO Oh Jong-wook acknowledged rising institutional demand for digital asset products but flagged fragmented infrastructure as a genuine obstacle that still needs solving before the market can reach its potential.

Why South Korea, and why now

Wavebridge was founded in 2018 and offers OTC trading, custody, and prime brokerage services aimed squarely at institutional clients. It also operates a subsidiary in Lithuania, giving it a footprint in both Asian and European digital asset markets.

The involvement of Hanwha Asset Management in the ETF research component adds credibility. Hanwha is not a crypto-native firm. It’s a traditional asset manager with deep roots in Korean finance.

What this means for investors

The ETF research angle deserves close watching. South Korea hasn’t approved digital asset ETFs yet, but the fact that a licensed VASP, a major liquid staking protocol, and a traditional asset manager are collaborating on research suggests the conversation is further along than most outsiders realize.

Oh Jong-wook’s comment about fragmented infrastructure isn’t just executive modesty. Korean institutions face real hurdles around custody interoperability, regulatory clarity on staking yields, and the challenge of reconciling 24/7 crypto markets with traditional settlement cycles. Any JitoSOL product will need to navigate all of these questions before a single won of institutional capital flows in.

There’s also the question of whether Korean regulators will treat liquid staking tokens differently from plain staking. LSTs involve an additional layer of smart contract risk and protocol governance that regulators may want to scrutinize more closely. The Jito Foundation’s role in providing risk documentation and staking mechanics guidance suggests both parties are aware this will be a regulatory conversation, not just a product design exercise.

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