Mirae plans to turn crypto exchange Korbit into something Korea hasn't seen before

Mirae Asset has completed a 97.15% acquisition of South Korea’s oldest crypto exchange Korbit and is rebranding it as Digital X. The firm aims to transform Digital X into an “intelligent investment platform” that integrates multiple asset types, including real-world assets, security tokens, stablecoins, traditional assets, and digital assets into a single ecosystem. This vision goes beyond simply competing in the crowded domestic crypto exchange market.

Currently, Korbit holds less than 1% of South Korea’s crypto market, which is dominated by exchanges like Upbit and Bithumb. Instead of trying to overtake these larger players, Mirae Asset plans to focus on investor education, research, strict compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) standards, and building institutional-grade infrastructure. Mirae Asset's approach is to support the sustainable growth of the digital asset industry in Korea and globally by combining its global investment expertise with Korbit’s capabilities.

The new platform, Digital X, is intended to serve as an infrastructure layer that connects diverse forms of investment value, positioning it as a comprehensive service rather than a volume-driven exchange. Mirae Asset sees this strategy as a way to offer a one-stop shop that bridges institutional investment experience with retail and digital asset needs, highlighting education and research alongside strict regulatory compliance to appeal to institutional investors as well as retail traders.

The acquisition was completed with approval from South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission, and Mirae Asset confirmed it has no immediate plans to purchase the remaining Korbit shares. Instead, the company intends to focus on enhancing Digital X’s competitiveness and its wider role in the evolving digital asset ecosystem.