Mirae Asset in Talks to Buy Korbit Crypto Exchange

Mirae Asset Group is discussing a possible purchase of Korbit, South Korea’s fourth-largest crypto exchange, as it looks to grow its presence in the digital asset market.

The potential deal values Korbit at between 100 billion and 140 billion Korean won, or about $70 million to $100 million.

Mirae Asset Consulting Led Acquisitions Talk 

The discussions involve Mirae Asset Consulting, a non-financial affiliate within the Mirae Asset Group. According to a local news outlet, Mirae Asset Consulting has signed a memorandum of understanding with Korbit’s major shareholders. 

This agreement signals early but serious intent, although the deal has not yet reached a final stage. If completed, the deal would give Mirae Asset a regulated gateway into the country’s tightly controlled crypto industry.

Meanwhile, Korbit’s largest owners include NXC and its subsidiary Simple Capital Futures, which together control about 60.5% of the exchange. SK Square holds an additional 31.5% stake. 

Any deal would need approval from these key shareholders, who together have strong control over Korbit’s future. Mirae Asset’s talks with Korbit reflect a broader trend of major financial groups seeking structured and regulated entry into crypto markets. 

Korbit Has Strong License, but Small Market Share

Korbit has a full operating license and a strong compliance system, which are very important in South Korea’s strict regulatory setting. These features make it attractive to a large financial group that wants legal access to digital assets.

However, Korbit’s share of the market is still small. On-chain data shows that out of about $1.21 billion in total daily trading across six Korean exchanges, Korbit handled only $5.75 million. This is well under 1% of the market.

South Korea’s crypto market is dominated by a few big players. Upbit, which is planning to list on Nasdaq, leads by a wide margin, with more than $768 million in daily trading volume.

Bithumb follows with nearly $298 million, while Coinone posts about $135 million. Against these figures, Korbit operates on a much smaller scale, despite its regulatory readiness.

Naver Financial Moves to Acquire Upbit Operator as Crypto Deals Grow

At the same time, consolidation continues elsewhere in the financial market. Naver Financial plans to acquire Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, in a stock-swap deal worth about $10.3 billion. The deal would make Dunamu a wholly owned subsidiary of Naver Financial.

Under the plan, Naver Financial will issue 87.56 million new shares to Dunamu’s shareholders, making Dunamu a fully owned subsidiary. Shareholders from both companies will vote on the transaction on May 22, 2026, with the share exchange set for June 30. 

Regulators must still approve the deal before completion. Reports first revealed the plan in September. The acquisition is expected to support a Korean won-backed stablecoin and broader digital finance services.