OKX Ventures, Korea Investment & Securities to buy 19.6% Coinone stake for $106M
OKX Ventures and Korea Investment & Securities will each invest $53 million for a 19.6% stake in Coinone, pending approval.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Coinone says OKX Ventures and Korea Investment & Securities agreed to invest 160 billion won for a combined 19.6% stake. The deal would deepen ties between crypto and traditional finance in South Korea, one of the world’s tighter regulated markets.
Two companies want to put a lot of money into Coinone, a crypto exchange in South Korea. If the deal happens, they would own part of the company, but the current boss would still run it.
This is a bit like two big neighbors buying shares of a local shop because they think the shop has a strong future. They are not trying to take over the store, just own a piece of it.
The story matters because South Korea is making crypto rules stricter. When big finance companies keep showing up anyway, it means they believe crypto can still grow in a more rule-filled world.
Analysis
Deal terms
Coinone said OKX Ventures and Korea Investment & Securities agreed to invest a combined 160 billion won, or about $106 million, for a 19.6% stake in the exchange. The article says each side would contribute $53 million. The transaction is still waiting on regulatory approval.
Ownership and control
The structure combines secondary share purchases from existing holders with newly issued shares. According to the report, Coinone CEO Myung-Hun Cha is expected to remain the largest shareholder and keep management control. The new investors would become Coinone’s joint third-largest shareholders behind Cha and Com2uS Holdings.
Why this matters in South Korea
The announcement points to a larger shift in South Korea’s crypto market. Since the Virtual Asset User Protection Act took effect in 2024, exchanges have faced stricter monitoring and anti-money-laundering rules, while regulators prepare additional rules for stablecoins and tokenized securities. In that setting, the deal is framed as a bet on compliant infrastructure rather than loose, speculative growth.
The article also links the Coinone deal to a broader wave of institutional activity. It notes Mirae Asset Consulting’s move to acquire control of Korbit in February and Hana Financial Group’s plan to invest heavily in Dunamu, the operator of Upbit. Taken together, the examples suggest traditional finance is pushing deeper into Korea’s licensed digital asset sector.
Key points
- OKX Ventures and Korea Investment & Securities plan to invest 160 billion won, or about $106 million, in Coinone.
- Each investor is set to contribute $53 million for a combined 19.6% stake.
- The deal still needs regulatory approval and would leave CEO Myung-Hun Cha in control.
- The article frames the move as part of South Korea’s tighter but more institution-friendly crypto market.
- KIS says it wants to work with Coinone on security token offerings and stablecoin businesses.
