OKX and a Korean broker take a $106M slice of Coinone

@OKX_Ventures and Korea Investment & Securities (KIS) have each agreed to invest 80 billion won ($53 million) in South Korean crypto exchange @CoinoneOfficial, giving both firms a 19.6% stake in a combined deal worth $106 million, pending regulatory approval.

The combined 160 billion-won transaction will involve both secondary share purchases and subscriptions for newly issued shares. After the transaction closes, CEO Cha Myunghun will remain Coinone's largest shareholder with a 27.8% stake and retain management control, while Com2uS Holdings and its affiliates will hold 25%, with OKX Ventures and KIS becoming joint third-largest shareholders.

Two Investors, Different Agendas

The two new backers are entering with distinct strategic goals. KIS intends to pursue Security Token Offering (STO) and stablecoin businesses with Coinone, citing momentum from South Korea's evolving digital asset legislation. OKX Ventures, the investment arm of OKX, brings a different kind of value: Coinone expects to draw on OKX's global operational playbook, including user protection frameworks, security practices, and risk management standards.

Coinone holds status as one of only five exchanges authorized for legal operations within South Korea, a licensing position that grants it strategic value as a compliant gateway for any multinational firm targeting Korean customers. The deal formalizes discussions first reported by Yonhap earlier this month, which said OKX and KIS were considering acquiring roughly 20% stakes in Coinone.

Part of a Wider Institutional Push

The Coinone deal does not stand alone. Three Samsung affiliates, Samsung Securities, Samsung SDS, and Samsung Card, announced they will acquire a combined 4% stake in Dunamu, the parent company of Upbit, for approximately 613 billion won ($407.7 million). Separately, Mirae Asset Financial Group announced in February that its holding company would acquire a 92% stake in cryptocurrency exchange Korbit for 133.5 billion won.

South Korea is building a more comprehensive digital asset framework through the Digital Asset Basic Act and related reforms covering stablecoins, tokenized securities, and local crypto operations. The investment activity signals that major financial groups expect the next phase of regulation to create new licensed business lines rather than only tighter compliance costs. Korea's regulated exchanges are quietly becoming some of the most sought-after assets in Asian finance.

Sources:
CoinDesk: OKX Ventures buys $53 million stake in Korea's Coinone exchange
The Block: Samsung units to acquire $408 million stake in Upbit operator Dunamu
Korea Herald: Korea Investment and OKX acquire 20% stakes in Coinone