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韩国加密交易市场洗牌：五大交易所上半年交易额同比下降54.6%，中小交易所寻求合作重组
TechFlow News, August 1, according to South Korean media NexBlock, South Korea's virtual asset market trading volume continues to shrink, and the competitive landscape among the five major KRW exchanges is changing. During the market downturn, funds are further concentrating on platforms with leading liquidity, while small and medium-sized exchanges are seeking breakthroughs through cooperation with securities companies, institutional market positioning, and business restructuring. The focus of future competition will no longer be just trading volume, but stablecoin liquidity, traditional financial cooperation, institutional market expansion, and regulatory compliance capabilities. Data shows that in the first half of this year, South Korea's five major KRW exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, Gopax) accumulated trading volume of about $366.58 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 54.6%. From July 1 to 27, the five major exchanges accumulated trading volume of about 17.34 trillion KRW, a decrease of 16.9% compared to the same period last month. Among them, Upbit's trading volume was about 11.69 trillion KRW; although down 10%, its market share rose from 62.3% to 67.4%. Bithumb's trading volume dropped to 4.71 trillion KRW, with its share decreasing from 30.7% to 27.1%, expanding the gap between the two to 40.3 percentage points.
Coinone Major Shareholder Change Approved: OKX Ventures and Korea Investment & Securities Complete New Shareholder Structure Filing
Odaily Planet Daily reported that South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Coinone announced on July 22 that it had received approval from the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to complete its major shareholder change declaration, formally establishing a new shareholder structure centered around Korea Investment & Securities, OKX Ventures, and Com2uS Holdings. Coinone stated that it will leverage the enhanced compliance and technical capabilities of its new shareholders to upgrade digital asset trading services and accelerate its transition into a comprehensive blockchain financial platform. (EDaily)
Coinone announces strategic collaboration direction with Korea Investment Securities, OKX, and Com2uS Holdings
on June 4, Coinone announced its strategic collaboration direction with Korea Investment Securities, OKX, and Com2uS Holdings at its headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. Previously, Korea Investment Securities and OKX had each acquired a 20% stake in Coinone, becoming its third-largest shareholders. Coinone CEO Cha Myunghoon retains his position as the largest shareholder with a 30.36% stake, while Com2uS Holdings continues as the second-largest shareholder with a 24.54% stake. Coinone stated that this is a strategic investment aimed at bridging traditional finance and the crypto asset market, rather than a purely financial one. OKX will serve as Coinone's global technology partner, providing its accumulated technical expertise and support, including trading technology and wallet infrastructure. Korea Investment Securities will offer support in traditional financial compliance and trust systems, while Com2uS Holdings will provide content IP and IT infrastructure. Coinone indicated that in the short term, it will leverage the capabilities of its partners to strengthen its competitiveness in the South Korean crypto asset market. In the medium term, it plans to launch digital financial products such as STOs and stablecoins within the legal framework. Cha Myunghoon stated that after bringing in new shareholders, the continuity and stability of the company's operations will be maintained.
OKX Ventures and Korean investment securities firm KIS each invested approximately $53 million in Coinone.
According to The Block, OKX Ventures and Korean investment securities firm KIS will each invest 80 billion Korean won (approximately $53 million), acquiring 19.6% equity stakes in South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Coinone; the transaction is pending regulatory approval.
OKX confirmed to invest $53 million to acquire a 20% stake in Coinone, a South Korean crypto exchange
OKX Ventures, the investment arm of OKX, announced it will acquire a 19.6% stake in Coinone, one of South Korea's five licensed digital asset trading platforms. Coinone has signed a strategic equity investment agreement with OKX Ventures, Korea Investment & Securities (KIS), as well as Com2uS and its affiliates.OKX Ventures and KIS will each invest 80 billion KRW ($53 million). Upon completion of the investment and receipt of regulatory approval, both companies will each hold a 19.6% stake in the platform. Together, they will become the third-largest shareholders of the South Korean exchange, trailing only Coinone CEO Cha Myung-hoon (27.8%) and Com2uS Holdings and its affiliates (25%).According to the announcement, the investment will be carried out through a combination of purchasing secondary market shares from Cha and Com2uS, as well as subscribing to newly issued shares. (The Block)
South Korea Tightens Control Over Crypto Exchange APIs; DAXA Requires Blocking of Suspicious Shared Keys
The Korea Digital Asset Exchange Alliance (DAXA) has introduced new compliance standards requiring local cryptocurrency exchanges to invalidate API keys suspected of being improperly shared by users, thereby strengthening oversight of automated trading. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) stated that automated trading currently accounts for approximately 30% of trading volume in Korea’s cryptocurrency market. Under the new rules, exchanges including Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax will enhance API monitoring, issue warnings upon detecting suspicious sharing behavior, require users to re-authenticate, and implement an IP allowlist mechanism to restrict API access to authorized addresses only.
Coinone Major Shareholder Change Approved: OKX Ventures and Korea Investment & Securities Complete New Shareholder Structure Filing
Odaily Planet Daily reported that South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Coinone announced on July 22 that it had received approval from the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to complete its major shareholder change declaration, formally establishing a new shareholder structure centered around Korea Investment & Securities, OKX Ventures, and Com2uS Holdings. Coinone stated that it will leverage the enhanced compliance and technical capabilities of its new shareholders to upgrade digital asset trading services and accelerate its transition into a comprehensive blockchain financial platform. (EDaily)
South Korean Virtual Asset Exchanges See Sharp Decline in New Listings, Trading Volume Halved
According to EToday, South Korea's top five virtual asset exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, Gopax) added only 117 new trading listings in the first half of the year, a 44% decrease from 210 in the same period last year; the net increase plummeted from 191 to 49, a year-on-year decline of 74%. Meanwhile, the number of delistings surged from 19 to 68, an increase of 258%. Global virtual asset trading volume recorded $46.07 billion in June, down 34% from $70 billion in the same period last year. The shrinkage in trading volume directly compressed fee income; Dunamu (Upbit's parent company) and Bithumb's first-quarter fee income accounted for 97.49% and 99.99% of operating revenue respectively, highlighting the issue of high dependency on retail spot trading.
Coinone announces strategic collaboration direction with Korea Investment Securities, OKX, and Com2uS Holdings
on June 4, Coinone announced its strategic collaboration direction with Korea Investment Securities, OKX, and Com2uS Holdings at its headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. Previously, Korea Investment Securities and OKX had each acquired a 20% stake in Coinone, becoming its third-largest shareholders. Coinone CEO Cha Myunghoon retains his position as the largest shareholder with a 30.36% stake, while Com2uS Holdings continues as the second-largest shareholder with a 24.54% stake. Coinone stated that this is a strategic investment aimed at bridging traditional finance and the crypto asset market, rather than a purely financial one. OKX will serve as Coinone's global technology partner, providing its accumulated technical expertise and support, including trading technology and wallet infrastructure. Korea Investment Securities will offer support in traditional financial compliance and trust systems, while Com2uS Holdings will provide content IP and IT infrastructure. Coinone indicated that in the short term, it will leverage the capabilities of its partners to strengthen its competitiveness in the South Korean crypto asset market. In the medium term, it plans to launch digital financial products such as STOs and stablecoins within the legal framework. Cha Myunghoon stated that after bringing in new shareholders, the continuity and stability of the company's operations will be maintained.
Korean Crypto Industry Opposes New AML Rules: Cross-Border Transfer Reporting Threshold May Trigger Compliance Pressure
: South Korea's crypto industry has expressed strong concerns over proposed amendments to anti-money laundering (AML) regulations, arguing that the rules could impose excessive compliance burdens on Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs).According to Yonhap News Agency, the Digital Asset eXchange Alliance (DAXA), representing 27 VASPs including Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax, submitted comments opposing the classification of all overseas virtual asset transfers exceeding 10 million won (approximately $6,800) as suspicious transaction reports.DAXA warned that this rule could cause the number of suspicious transaction reports from South Korea's top five exchanges to skyrocket from approximately 63,000 last year to over 5.4 million—an increase of about 85 times—severely impacting the efficiency of actual compliance execution. Furthermore, the industry also opposes a new obligation requiring exchanges to verify the accuracy of customer information, arguing it exceeds the scope of current legal authorization.South Korea's Financial Services Commission (FSC) and Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) proposed the relevant amendments on March 30, which have now entered a public comment period, with final deliberation expected to be completed in July.Meanwhile, legal disputes between Korean exchanges and regulators over AML penalties continue. Multiple platforms are challenging previous business restrictions and fines through the courts, reflecting an escalating tension between regulatory tightening and the industry's execution capabilities. (Cointelegraph)
Korea's National Tax Service launches preparatory work for virtual asset taxation, targeting implementation in January of next year
the Korea National Tax Service has initiated preparatory work for virtual asset taxation, with the goal of formal implementation in January 2027 and preparation for comprehensive income tax filings in May 2028. According to the current Income Tax Act, income from the transfer and leasing of virtual assets will be classified as "other income," subject to a 22% tax rate on the portion exceeding an annual gain of 2.5 million Korean won, which is expected to affect approximately 13.26 million individuals.The Korea National Tax Service plans to begin collecting data from exchanges such as Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax starting next year, to improve the taxation infrastructure and promote the launch of a comprehensive virtual asset analysis system within the year. However, controversies surrounding taxation standards and the risk of capital flight persist. (Edaily)
Circle CEO: Has Expanded Collaboration with Dunamu and Bithumb to Advance Digital Asset and Stablecoin Adoption in Korea
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire stated that Circle has expanded its collaboration with Dunamu—the operator of Upbit—to support the compliant adoption of digital assets, and broadened its partnership with Bithumb to strengthen stablecoin infrastructure and raise market awareness of stablecoins. Allaire noted that South Korea is rapidly advancing regulation for stablecoins and digital assets, and that local cryptocurrency adoption rates are high. During his time in Seoul, he also met with representatives from KakaoGroup, Coinone, Hashed, Shinhan Bank, KB Financial Group, and Woori Bank.
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韩国加密交易市场洗牌：五大交易所上半年交易额同比下降54.6%，中小交易所寻求合作重组
TechFlow News, August 1, according to South Korean media NexBlock, South Korea's virtual asset market trading volume continues to shrink, and the competitive landscape among the five major KRW exchanges is changing. During the market downturn, funds are further concentrating on platforms with leading liquidity, while small and medium-sized exchanges are seeking breakthroughs through cooperation with securities companies, institutional market positioning, and business restructuring. The focus of future competition will no longer be just trading volume, but stablecoin liquidity, traditional financial cooperation, institutional market expansion, and regulatory compliance capabilities. Data shows that in the first half of this year, South Korea's five major KRW exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, Gopax) accumulated trading volume of about $366.58 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 54.6%. From July 1 to 27, the five major exchanges accumulated trading volume of about 17.34 trillion KRW, a decrease of 16.9% compared to the same period last month. Among them, Upbit's trading volume was about 11.69 trillion KRW; although down 10%, its market share rose from 62.3% to 67.4%. Bithumb's trading volume dropped to 4.71 trillion KRW, with its share decreasing from 30.7% to 27.1%, expanding the gap between the two to 40.3 percentage points.
Coinone Major Shareholder Change Approved: OKX Ventures and Korea Investment & Securities Complete New Shareholder Structure Filing
Odaily Planet Daily reported that South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Coinone announced on July 22 that it had received approval from the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to complete its major shareholder change declaration, formally establishing a new shareholder structure centered around Korea Investment & Securities, OKX Ventures, and Com2uS Holdings. Coinone stated that it will leverage the enhanced compliance and technical capabilities of its new shareholders to upgrade digital asset trading services and accelerate its transition into a comprehensive blockchain financial platform. (EDaily)
Daily trading volume of South Korea's top five crypto exchanges drops 89% year-on-year to $305 million
the trading activity of South Korea's five major Korean won-denominated crypto platforms—Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax—has significantly contracted over the past year. Based on a comparable seven-day period in July, the average daily trading volume across the five platforms decreased from $2.82 billion to $305 million, a year-on-year decline of approximately 89%. Calculated using a simple, unweighted average of the declines across the five platforms, the average drop in trading volume was about 77%. Another statistic shows that on July 20, the daily trading volume of the five major exchanges fell by 88% year-on-year. Korbit raised approximately $1 million by selling 15 BTC and 60 ETH. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 114.44% over the 12 months ending July 22, even after retreating from its June highs. Tiger Research stated that the decline in crypto trading activity in South Korea not only reflects weaker prices but is also related to narrative repetition, partial project delivery failures, and retail investors shifting to stocks. (Cointelegraph)
South Korean Virtual Asset Exchanges See Sharp Decline in New Listings, Trading Volume Halved
According to EToday, South Korea's top five virtual asset exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, Gopax) added only 117 new trading listings in the first half of the year, a 44% decrease from 210 in the same period last year; the net increase plummeted from 191 to 49, a year-on-year decline of 74%. Meanwhile, the number of delistings surged from 19 to 68, an increase of 258%. Global virtual asset trading volume recorded $46.07 billion in June, down 34% from $70 billion in the same period last year. The shrinkage in trading volume directly compressed fee income; Dunamu (Upbit's parent company) and Bithumb's first-quarter fee income accounted for 97.49% and 99.99% of operating revenue respectively, highlighting the issue of high dependency on retail spot trading.
Coinone announces strategic collaboration direction with Korea Investment Securities, OKX, and Com2uS Holdings
on June 4, Coinone announced its strategic collaboration direction with Korea Investment Securities, OKX, and Com2uS Holdings at its headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. Previously, Korea Investment Securities and OKX had each acquired a 20% stake in Coinone, becoming its third-largest shareholders. Coinone CEO Cha Myunghoon retains his position as the largest shareholder with a 30.36% stake, while Com2uS Holdings continues as the second-largest shareholder with a 24.54% stake. Coinone stated that this is a strategic investment aimed at bridging traditional finance and the crypto asset market, rather than a purely financial one. OKX will serve as Coinone's global technology partner, providing its accumulated technical expertise and support, including trading technology and wallet infrastructure. Korea Investment Securities will offer support in traditional financial compliance and trust systems, while Com2uS Holdings will provide content IP and IT infrastructure. Coinone indicated that in the short term, it will leverage the capabilities of its partners to strengthen its competitiveness in the South Korean crypto asset market. In the medium term, it plans to launch digital financial products such as STOs and stablecoins within the legal framework. Cha Myunghoon stated that after bringing in new shareholders, the continuity and stability of the company's operations will be maintained.
South Korea’s cryptocurrency market trading volume shrinks to 2% of the KOSPI’s, as investors shift substantial capital to the stock market.
According to South Korea’s Maeil Business Newspaper, Korean investors’ interest in crypto assets has rapidly waned amid persistently low crypto yields. On May 29, the combined 24-hour trading volume of South Korea’s five major crypto exchanges—Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax—stood at just KRW 2.71 trillion, while the KOSPI’s trading volume on the same day reached KRW 118.27 trillion—meaning the crypto market accounted for only 2.03% of the KOSPI’s total. This stands in stark contrast to one year earlier: on July 24, 2025, the crypto market’s trading volume hit KRW 16.92 trillion—surpassing the KOSPI’s KRW 15 trillion. Since then, the KOSPI’s trading volume has surged by 680%, while the crypto market’s volume has plunged by 84%, clearly indicating a massive capital shift toward equities.