[Exclusive] Korea's first pork fractional investment product posts 13.1% return in three months, or 50% annualized

[The Financial News] Korea's first Korean Pork-based investment securities product has made a successful debut, posting a double-digit return in a short period. The real-asset-backed product is being seen as opening a new path for the fractional investment market, which has been in a slump amid sluggish trading.
According to DataGen, a blockchain platform company in Daejeon, the Korean Pork investment securities product launched jointly by DataGen and Hana Securities Co., Ltd. has completed final settlement after about three months, with an investment return of 13.1%.
On a simple annualized basis, that performance translates to more than 50%. It is an overwhelming return compared with bank deposits, bond-type products, and even ordinary stock-based investment products.
The project was not a paper-only investment. From breeding to shipment and settlement, the entire process for the actual pigs was managed transparently using data. DataGen said it was able to deliver the promised returns through real-time breeding management data and a systematic shipment operation system.
The product had already drawn strong interest at the subscription stage. In the January offering, the entire allocation of about 216.24 million won sold out by the morning of the first day. It ultimately recorded a subscription rate of 282%, or about 610.08 million won in applications, setting the highest sales record for a single investment securities product in Korea.
The market sees the case as proof of the potential success of real-asset-based fractional investment ahead of the institutionalization of token securities, scheduled for next year. Analysts say the clear underlying asset and short recovery period of livestock assets matched investor demand.
DataGen CEO Im Seon-muk said, "This is a case that confirmed the reliability of a new model combining real assets in livestock with finance," adding, "As the transparent operating structure led to actual profits, market interest is likely to grow even further."
Meanwhile, DataGen is moving quickly to launch a follow-up product on the back of the success of its first offering. The company plans to introduce the second Korean Pork investment securities product later this month, taking into account market conditions such as trends in wholesale pork prices.
kwj5797@fnnews.com Kim Won-joon Reporter