Dunamu selected for Korea police crypto custody

South Korea's National Police Agency has selected Dunamu, the operator of the country's largest cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, as the preferred bidder to store and manage seized digital assets. The decision, announced on July 8, 2026, follows a series of high-profile losses of confiscated cryptocurrency from law enforcement custody.

Dunamu emerged as the top-ranked bidder in a public procurement process, with a final score of 94.73 points. The score comprised a perfect 10 points for its bid price and 84.73 points in a technical evaluation. The one-year contract is valued at 267 million won (approximately $195,000). A joint bid by Korea Digital Asset Custody and the Korbit exchange placed second with 91.29 points, while Hecto Wallet One finished third with 87.27 points. As the preferred bidder, Dunamu will secure the contract if successful negotiations are completed with the police agency.

The move to outsource custody comes after several incidents where seized cryptocurrency was lost. In January 2026, approximately 320 Bitcoin, worth an estimated 48 billion won, disappeared from the Gwangju District Prosecutors Office. In a separate incident confirmed by police, 22 Bitcoin...