Hashed launches Maroo: KRW stablecoin blockchain with hybrid public/permissioned architecture
Hashed has launched Maroo, a blockchain platform purpose-built for a Korean won (KRW)–backed stablecoin and institutional integration. Maroo uses a hybrid architecture combining a public layer for transparent transaction verification with a permissioned layer for regulatory compliance and privacy. Key features include paying transaction fees directly in the KRW stablecoin (removing the need for a native token), energy-efficient consensus, targeted throughput above 10,000 TPS, built-in AML/KYC interfaces, smart-contract formal verification, multi-signature controls, and regular third-party audits. Hashed created a subsidiary, Hashed Open Finance, to drive stablecoins, real-world-asset (RWA) tokenization and security token offerings (STOs), with plans to expand Maroo to other fiat currencies in phased stages beginning in 2026. The project is positioned to integrate with South Korea’s evolving regulatory framework—benefiting from recent Electronic Financial Transactions Act updates and ongoing Bank of Korea CBDC research—and aims at institutional use cases such as cross-border remittances, interbank settlement, trade finance and RWA fractionation. Success factors include regulatory cooperation, bank adoption and real-world technical performance. This development is relevant to traders monitoring KRW stablecoin liquidity, domestic on‑chain fiat rails, and potential shifts in regional stablecoin demand and settlement flows.
Bullish
Maroo’s launch is likely bullish for regional crypto markets and KRW-stablecoin liquidity for several reasons. First, a regulated, bank‑friendly KRW stablecoin with direct fee payment simplifies on‑ramp/off‑ramp and reduces frictions that currently push Korean users toward offshore dollar-pegged stablecoins — this can increase local on‑chain volume and liquidity. Second, institutional features (permissioned layer, AML/KYC, API compatibility, audits) lower adoption barriers for banks and enterprises, potentially bringing more institutional capital and settlement flows on‑chain. Third, the planned expansion and Hashed Open Finance’s focus on RWA tokenization could deepen demand for stablecoin settlement rails over time. Historically, launches of regulated stablecoins or bank-backed rails (e.g., country-specific stablecoin initiatives, regulated token listings) have supported higher local trading volumes and improved market infrastructure, which traders interpret as supportive for liquidity and narrower spreads. Near term, market reaction may be muted until live deployments, bank partnerships and on-chain liquidity materialize — initial announcements can cause measured buying in KRW pairs and related DeFi instruments. Long term, sustained institutional adoption and integration with banking rails would be constructive for market depth in Korean markets and could shift some settlement flows away from USD‑pegged stablecoins to KRW rails, benefiting tokens and platforms that integrate Maroo. Risks include regulatory setbacks, slow bank uptake, or technical underperformance; any such issues would temper bullish effects.