Korean life insurer enters U.S. securities industry

SEOUL, South Korea & New York – July 31, 2025 – Hanwha Life, South Korea’s first life insurance company, has officially completed the acquisition of a 75% stake in U.S.-based global financial services firm Velocity Clearing, LLC on July 30 (EST). The majority of the stake acquired was owned by an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. The deal marks a bold strategic move into the North American capital markets—beyond Hanwha Life’s traditional insurance business.

With this transaction, Hanwha Life becomes the first Korean insurance company to acquire a U.S. securities firm, “the center of the global capital markets.”  The acquisition establishes a platform for Hanwha Life to enhance its profitability through a local U.S. financial company and provide high-quality global financial products to global clients.

Velocity Clearing, LLC, a global financial services firm based in New York, manages the post trade service, including clearing and settlement. As of the end of 2024, the firm held approximately USD 1.2 billion in total assets, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25% in revenue over the last three years (2022~2024). The net income is also increasing steadily, with continued profitability expected after the acquisition.

Working closely with Velocity Clearing, LLC, under its existing leadership, the company aims to ensure early operational stability while building strategic synergies with its U.S. asset management affiliate, Hanwha Asset Management (USA) Ltd. and the Hanwha AI Center (HAC), located in San Francisco. This collaboration will combine financial expertise with the advanced AI capabilities to strengthen Hanwha Life’s competitive edge in the U.S. market.

Hanwha Life representative said, "This transaction represents a significant step for Korean finance to establish a presence in the key financial center, the U.S. capital markets. Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen our global business by leveraging digital financial technologies and our global network to ensure sustainable, long-term growth."

Michael Logan, CEO of Velocity Clearing, stated, "With Hanwha Life’s global vision and support, we expect to accelerate our growth and unlock new opportunities together for our clients. We’re excited about the powerful synergies ahead."

Brian Schaeffer, president of Velocity Clearing, said, “This partnership with Hanwha Life is client driven, allowing Velocity Clearing to further accelerate its product and geographic expansion.”

Lee Millstein, Chairman of Global Real Estate for Cerberus, stated, “We’re proud to have supported Velocity Clearing through an exciting period of growth, and Hanwha Life is well-positioned to build on that momentum in the company’s next chapter.”

About Hanwha Life

Established in 1946 as Korea’s first life insurance company, Hanwha Life has over 78 years of experience and reported total consolidated assets of USD 108.9 billion (KRW 160.2 trillion) as of the end of 2024. While maintaining leadership in the insurance sector, Hanwha Life is accelerating its transformation into a global financial group through innovation and strategic overseas expansion. The company continues to expand its global financial ecosystem by pursuing regionally tailored strategies and strengthening its digital capabilities. By building strong global partnerships, Hanwha Life aims to become a trusted global financial brand that delivers comprehensive and sustainable financial solutions.

About Velocity Clearing

Velocity Clearing is a technology-driven, self-clearing broker/dealer providing execution services, clearing, and custody along with access to stock locate services, securities lending, competitive financing, and a firm-wide focus on world-class customer service. Velocity Clearing supports retail traders and institutional clients including brokers/dealers, hedge funds, family offices, and proprietary trading firms in the United States and across the globe. With a growing team of professionals in multiple locations throughout the United States and across the globe, Velocity has the right combination of resources and people to provide seamless and reliable service to clients. Velocity Clearing is registered with the SEC and a member of FINRA and SIPC.