Return Plus Establishes Three-Party Cooperation for Medical Device STOs... Accelerates Lead in Real-World Asset Finance Market

MOU Signed with EQ Corporation and J&J Solution

Return Plus, a fintech startup specializing in the issuance of security tokens (STOs) for medical devices, has established a three-party cooperation system with partners for the supply, installation, and maintenance of medical devices, aiming to secure a leading position in the real-world asset finance market.

Return Plus announced on April 29 that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at its headquarters in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, with EQ Corporation, the official distributor for GE Healthcare, and J&J Solution, a company specializing in medical device installation and maintenance.

This agreement represents the first case in Korea where the entire process of medical device STOs—from issuance to operation and recovery—has been integrated into a single contractual structure. This is expected to accelerate the commercialization of the first CT·MRI-based product.

(From left) Youngguk Cho, CEO of Eq Corporation, Byeongcheol Jeon, CEO of J&J Solution, and Jungman Choi, CEO of Returnplus, hold up the memorandum of understanding for cooperation on "medical device supply and investment contract securities (STO)" after signing it on April 29 at Returnplus headquarters in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul. (Photo by Returnplus)

The core of this MOU is that it structurally controls the key risks of medical device STOs—namely, 'underlying asset quality, maintenance, and residual value recovery,' which have been highlighted as the biggest risk factors, through clear role-sharing among the three parties. Return Plus is responsible exclusively for STO issuance and asset management, while each specialized partner takes charge of the supply, installation, operation, and resale of the medical devices.

The scope of cooperation covers six areas: (1) supply and delivery of medical devices (within 4 to 6 weeks after the public offering is completed), (2) installation and commissioning (issuance of installation completion certificate), (3) maintenance and regular inspections, (4) disposal of used medical devices at maturity, (5) joint sales to hospital networks, and (6) provision of cost and technical information.

With the signing of this MOU, all key operational variables for Return Plus’s first medical device STO product have been finalized. The product is designed to focus on a stable cash yield structure based on fixed rental fees paid by hospitals, rather than on capital gains.

From an accounting and financial perspective, this product can be classified as an "income asset based on long-term operating leases." Depreciation of the underlying asset is applied on a straight-line basis according to the device's economic life. The operating cash flow for each period is distributed in four stages: (1) receipt of hospital rental fees, (2) deduction of maintenance and operating expenses, (3) deduction of platform fees, and (4) quarterly dividends to investors. At maturity, the residual value is recovered by EQ Corporation through appraisal and public auction, as stipulated in the MOU, utilizing both overseas used medical device markets and OEM buyback channels.

Founded in May 2024, Return Plus is a fintech startup specializing in the issuance of medical device STOs. The company holds venture business certification and two patents, and has completed the development of the MVP for its STO platform 'Hanjogak' over the past year with support from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Technology Finance Corporation. Hanjogak is Korea's first medical device STO platform, designed to fractionalize high-value medical devices such as CT and MRI—each worth over 1 billion won—into 5,000 won units, enabling individual investors to directly participate in quality real-world asset investments.

Notably, Hanjogak goes beyond a simple issuance and distribution platform, positioning its AI-powered asset analysis capabilities as a core strength. The company plans to gradually enhance features such as profitability and risk analysis by underlying asset, real-time monitoring linked to operational data (utilization rates, maintenance history, and changes in medical service fees), and portfolio recommendations based on individual investment preferences. These features will be standardized for all future STO products.

Based on this MOU, Return Plus aims to launch its first medical device STO product within 2026 through a securities registration and public offering, establishing itself as the core infrastructure for medical device STOs.

In the medium to long term, the company plans to expand the scope of STO underlying assets beyond medical devices to include medical centers, senior living facilities, smart farms, and campsites, while further advancing its AI-based profitability and risk analysis systems across the platform. Through these initiatives, the company aims to usher in an era where "investing in quality real-world assets is possible with just 5,000 won," addressing the structural issues of information asymmetry and imbalance of investment opportunities in the asset market.

Return Plus CEO Jungman Choi stated, "This three-party collaboration marks a decisive turning point, proving that the medical device STO business is not merely a digital asset issuance, but a financial model directly connected to real medical infrastructure operated in hospitals. By combining the supply capabilities of EQ Corporation, the official distributor for GE Healthcare, with the installation and maintenance expertise of J&J Solution, we have created a structure that offers investors assets guaranteed by a global OEM and allows hospitals to adopt equipment with no upfront costs."

He added, "Return Plus will continue to introduce security token financial models that offer both stability and innovation, starting with medical devices, contributing to improving investment efficiency in the medical device industry and addressing regional disparities in healthcare. We will do our utmost to ensure that Hanjogak establishes itself as the core issuance platform in Korea's STO ecosystem."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.