Korbit, the inaugural cryptocurrency exchange in South Korea, has officially become part of the Mirae Asset Group, a first for a traditional Korean financial institution taking a controlling interest in a local crypto platform.
By Omkar Godbole|Edited by Shaurya Malwa Jul 23, 2026, 7:05 a.m. 2 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on Korbit becomes part of the Mirae family. (CoinDesk archive)SummaryShow- Mirae Asset Consulting, a subsidiary of the financial powerhouse Mirae Asset Group, has acquired a 97.15% interest in Korbit.
- This acquisition positions Mirae Asset Consulting as Korbit’s principal shareholder without altering the operational structure of the exchange or affecting user services, deposits, or withdrawals.
Korbit, established in 2013 as South Korea's first cryptocurrency exchange, has now aligned with a prominent player in traditional finance.
The exchange announced on Thursday its integration into the Mirae Asset Group, which reportedly had assets under management amounting to $1 trillion as of May.
The acquisition was executed by Mirae Asset Consulting, which obtained Korbit's shares in compliance with regulatory requirements, establishing itself as the largest stakeholder. The announcement emphasized that Korbit Co., Ltd., the entity running Korbit, would remain unchanged.
This affiliate also manages the group's hotels and golf courses, and now possesses a 97.15% stake in Korbit.
For users of Korbit, the transition to Mirae’s ownership will not lead to any immediate changes. The exchange confirmed that services including login, trading, deposits, and withdrawals will remain uninterrupted. User funds and virtual assets will continue to be safeguarded separately from the company's own assets, in accordance with South Korea's legislation on the protection of virtual asset users. Additionally, the handling of personal data will remain consistent, requiring no action from users.
This acquisition highlights a growing trend where traditional financial entities are increasingly engaging with existing crypto platforms to enhance their presence in digital markets. This is particularly significant in South Korea, where retail cryptocurrency trading volumes frequently compete with those of stock exchanges, making ownership of a licensed exchange a strategically valuable asset.
Similar movements have been observed across Asia. For example, the SBI Group from Japan has decided to acquire the Tokyo-based crypto exchange Bitbank for $289 million and is also set to take a majority stake in the Singapore-based Coinhako.
CoinDesk has reached out to both Mirae and Korbit for further comments.
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Markets repositioned since June, but Binance held share (~55% user funds, ~24% spot) and drew net inflows in early July while the tracked market saw outflows.
By CoinDesk Research17 hours agoMarkets repositioned since June, but Binance held share (~55% user funds, ~24% spot) and drew net inflows in early July while the tracked market saw outflows.
Why it matters:
Markets repositioned since June, but Binance held share (~55% user funds, ~24% spot) and drew net inflows in early July while the tracked market saw outflows.
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