South Korea's oldest crypto exchange is now part of the $1 trillion Mirae Group family
Reported by CoinDesk · AI-assisted summary by ChikoCorp AI News Desk
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South Korea’s oldest domestic cryptocurrency exchange, Korbit, has become part of Mirae Asset Group’s extensive financial network. An affiliate company, Mirae Asset Consulting, has acquired a 97.15% stake in Korbit, making it the largest shareholder. Despite this significant change in ownership, Korbit’s corporate structure and daily operations remain unaffected, with no disruptions to user services such as login, trading, deposits, or withdrawals. The exchange emphasized that user deposits and virtual assets will continue to be segregated from company assets in accordance with South Korean regulations designed to protect virtual asset users.
Korbit was founded in 2013 as South Korea’s first homegrown crypto exchange. Its integration into the Mirae Asset family, a financial conglomerate reportedly managing $1 trillion in assets as of May 2026, reflects the growing interest of traditional finance groups to participate in the digital asset market. Mirae Asset Consulting, which also manages other business sectors like hotels and golf courses within the group, carried out the acquisition through mandated regulatory channels.
The deal is notable because it highlights a broader trend across Asia where established financial institutions are increasingly acquiring or investing in licensed cryptocurrency exchanges. The report points out similar moves by the Japanese SBI Group, which acquired Tokyo-based Bitbank for $289 million and took a majority stake in Singapore’s Coinhako. In South Korea, where retail crypto trading volume often rivals stock market activity, owning a licensed exchange is seen as a strategic asset for expanding into digital finance.
The source underlines that the acquisition poses no immediate impact on Korbit's user experience or data management, and no action is required from users. Mirae and Korbit have been contacted for additional comments, though none are included in the report. This development demonstrates the continuing convergence of traditional finance and the crypto sector in key Asian markets.