Deal Details and Regulatory Clearance

Mirae Asset Consulting, an affiliate of Mirae Asset Financial Group, has acquired approximately 91.73% of Korbit and plans to increase its ownership to 97.15% through an additional transaction. The total investment reaches around 141.4 billion won, equivalent to approximately $100 million.

The Fair Trade Commission granted approval for the deal on July 9, 2026, clearing the path for completion. The transaction builds on an initial agreement announced earlier this year for a 92.06% stake valued at roughly 133.5 billion won.

Korbit, established in 2013, ranks among South Korea’s oldest won-based cryptocurrency exchanges and currently holds a modest share of the domestic market.

Operational Continuity and User Protections

The exchange emphasized that its operating entity, Korbit Inc., remains unchanged following the ownership transition. Trading, deposits, withdrawals, and user logins will proceed without interruption.

Customer assets will continue to be segregated from company funds in line with South Korea’s Virtual Asset User Protection Act. Personal data handling policies also stay the same, with no action required from users.

Strategic Expansion into Digital Assets

The acquisition aligns with Mirae Asset’s broader “Mirae Asset 3.0” vision, which seeks to integrate traditional finance with digital assets, blockchain technology, and related innovations. The exchange is expected to evolve under the Digital X banner, potentially exploring areas such as real-world asset tokenization, security token offerings, stablecoins, and institutional services.

Mirae Asset Financial Group, with substantial assets under management, aims to leverage Korbit’s regulated infrastructure to build a comprehensive global investment platform spanning conventional and digital markets.

This development represents a notable step in the convergence of traditional finance and cryptocurrency in South Korea, where retail trading activity remains significant despite recent shifts toward equity markets.

Context in South Korea’s Crypto Sector

The move comes amid other investments in the local market, including OKX Ventures’ stake in Coinone and various partnerships involving tokenized products. Korbit, which recorded around $4.3 million in 24-hour trading volume recently, trails larger platforms like Upbit but benefits from its established regulatory standing.

Industry participants view the transaction as reinforcing the regulated nature of South Korea’s digital asset ecosystem, where exchanges must maintain bank partnerships for fiat services.