Darius Baruo
May 29, 2026 08:18
OKX Ventures and Korea Investment & Securities invest $106M in Coinone, marking a key move into South Korea’s regulated crypto market.
OKX Ventures and Korea Investment & Securities (KIS) have committed $106 million for a 19.6% stake in South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Coinone. The deal, which combines secondary share purchases and newly issued shares, positions both firms as joint third-largest shareholders behind Coinone’s CEO Myung-Hun Cha and Com2uS Holdings. Regulatory approval is still pending for the transaction.
This investment underscores South Korea’s growing prominence in regulated digital assets. Coinone is one of the “big four” licensed exchanges in the country, alongside Upbit, Bithumb, and Korbit. South Korea’s strict compliance requirements, enforced under the 2024 Virtual Asset User Protection Act, make local licenses critical for companies seeking retail and institutional traction in the market. For OKX, this marks a significant foothold in one of Asia’s most tightly regulated crypto environments.
The timing of this deal aligns with broader institutional interest in South Korea’s crypto sector. Earlier this year, Mirae Asset Consulting acquired a 92.06% stake in Korbit for $93 million, and Hana Financial Group announced a $668 million investment for a 6.55% stake in Upbit’s operator, Dunamu. These moves highlight how traditional financial giants are integrating into the digital asset ecosystem as regulatory clarity improves.
OKX Ventures’ Strategic Expansion
For OKX Ventures, this deal aligns with its ongoing strategy of investing in compliant and scalable digital asset infrastructure. The venture arm of global crypto exchange OKX has been active since 2021, with over 250 investments in areas like blockchain infrastructure, DeFi, and tokenized assets. Its recent partnership in February 2026 to launch a real-world-asset-backed stablecoin with Hamilton Lane and Securitize underscores its focus on regulatory-compliant innovation.
The Coinone investment could enable OKX to extend its presence in South Korea’s burgeoning tokenized finance space, potentially leveraging Coinone’s local expertise to roll out products like security tokens and stablecoins. OKX has already emphasized its commitment to “compliant, well-regulated infrastructure” in its statement on the deal.
KIS Eyes Tokenized Finance
For KIS, one of South Korea’s leading securities firms, the partnership with Coinone fits its broader push into digital assets. The firm, which reported a record net profit of 2.0135 trillion won ($1.5 billion) in 2025, has been expanding its global investment footprint. Recent collaborations with financial heavyweights like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan signal its readiness to integrate tokenized finance into its offerings.
KIS plans to use its stake in Coinone to explore opportunities in security token offerings (STOs) and stablecoin development. With South Korea’s regulators preparing a second phase of crypto legislation focused on tokenized securities, KIS is positioning itself to capitalize on this emerging market. The firm’s focus aligns with Seoul’s efforts to encourage greater institutional participation in regulated crypto markets.
Regulatory Context in South Korea
South Korea has become a case study in how mature regulatory frameworks can drive institutional adoption. The Virtual Asset User Protection Act, effective since 2024, has imposed stringent anti-money laundering (AML) and transaction monitoring requirements on exchanges. In parallel, regulators are advancing rules for tokenized securities, signaling a broader shift to integrate blockchain into traditional finance.
For investors, the proliferation of institutional activity in South Korea’s crypto space could catalyze new opportunities. As regulated venues like Coinone expand their offerings, the country’s crypto market may attract both domestic and international participants seeking compliant investment channels.
Ultimately, the OKX-KIS investment in Coinone is more than a headline-grabbing deal—it’s a signal of the growing convergence between traditional finance and digital assets in one of Asia’s most dynamic crypto markets.
Image source: Shutterstock
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