OKX’s 20% Stake in South Korean Exchange: A Game-Changer for Asia’s Crypto Market?

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OKX Eyes A 20% Stake In South Korean Exchange — Here’s What It Signals For The Region

I’m hearing that OKX, a big crypto exchange, is looking to buy around 20% of Coinone, which is a licensed exchange in South Korea. If this goes through, it would be a huge move for OKX, giving them a really strong position in one of the most active crypto markets in Asia. It seems like they’re serious about expanding in the region.

Korea Investment & Securities, a leading South Korean brokerage, is reportedly in talks to buy a 20% share of cryptocurrency exchange Coinone. This potential investment would follow a similar structure to a previous deal, according to a report by Yonhap, as highlighted by Bloomberg’s Bloomingbit. While discussions are underway, the specifics of any agreement haven’t been finalized.

According to a report by Bloomingbit, Coinone’s ownership is primarily held by The One Group (34.30%), followed by gaming company Com2uS Holdings (21.95%), CEO Cha Myung-hoon (19.14%), and Com2uS Plus (16.47%). Cha Myung-hoon, who established Coinone, is also the majority owner of The One Group.

The Regulatory Opening Behind The Move

These discussions come at a key time for cryptocurrency ownership in South Korea. In late December 2025, the country’s Financial Services Commission suggested limiting ownership of crypto exchanges to a maximum of 15-20% for major shareholders. This new rule is specifically intended to allow securities firms and large institutional investors to become owners in these exchanges for the first time.

Progress is now being made quickly following that initial development. Recent similar transactions include Mirae Asset Consulting’s purchase of a 92.06% share in Korbit for around $96.7 million, and Hana Financial Group’s acquisition of a 6.55% stake in Dunamu (the company behind Upbit, South Korea’s leading cryptocurrency exchange), according to data from Bloomingbit.

OKX’s Broader Expansion Play

As I’ve been following OKX, their potential discussions with Coinone seem to be part of a larger trend: a clear push to attract institutional investors globally. We saw this earlier when Intercontinental Exchange – the company that owns the New York Stock Exchange – invested around $200 million in OKX back in March 2026, valuing the company at $25 billion. They even took a seat on OKX’s board. Importantly, that deal also included plans for OKX users to eventually be able to trade tokenized versions of stocks and derivatives listed on the NYSE.

As a crypto investor, I’m really interested in the potential of a regulated investment in Coinone. It would open up opportunities in South Korea, which is a significant market – around 15.5 million people, roughly 30% of the population, are already holding digital assets as of 2025, according to recent industry reports. This could be a big step for institutional investment in the region.

For an international exchange that doesn’t yet support Korean Won and isn’t officially licensed in Korea, owning a small part of a locally licensed exchange offers a more effective way to enter the market than simply growing the business from scratch.

This is a key moment for the growing cryptocurrency industry in Asia as it starts to mature. South Korea is changing its rules about who can own cryptocurrency exchanges, and major international companies, supported by large financial institutions, are rushing to establish a foothold before the new rules are finalized. OKX seems determined to be one of those companies.

Currently, Bitcoin is trading around $80,000 and stabilizing near its 200-day moving average. The market is now watching for the next major economic event that could influence its direction.

Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart from Tradingview

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2026-05-15 12:12