South Korean brokerage Korea Funding & Securities (KIS) is reviewing a possible stake in crypto trade Coinone, in line with Korean media stories and firm feedback, although no deal has been finalized.
Citing folks aware of the matter, the Korea Herald reported that KIS began partaking with regulators and politicians as a part of a broader course of tied to a possible funding in Coinone. Coinone additionally stated no particular transaction had been determined.
The information comes as South Korea considers a proposal to cap main shareholders’ stakes in home crypto exchanges at 20%, a transfer that would pressure possession modifications throughout elements of the sector if enacted. Coinone Chairman Cha Myung-hoon reportedly controls about 53.44% of the trade, which means a stake sale might grow to be one strategy to adapt if the proposed cap advances into regulation.
The transfer would place KIS alongside its rival, Mirae Asset Group, which agreed to amass a controlling stake in crypto trade Korbit, in line with a February submitting. KIS recorded a web revenue of over 2 trillion received (about $1.3 billion) in 2025, making it a robust candidate for a possible stake acquisition in Coinone, Hankyung reported.
South Korea strikes to cap crypto trade possession at 20%
The potential deal unfolds as South Korea strikes to reshape possession constructions in its crypto trade market.
On March 4, the South Korean authorities and ruling celebration agreed on a plan to cap possession stakes of main shareholders in native exchanges at 20%. In line with Herald Economic system, the Democratic Occasion of Korea’s digital asset job pressure and the Monetary Companies Fee (FSC) agreed to set the utmost shareholding restrict at 20% after discussions.
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Underneath the proposal, exchanges would have three years from the regulation’s enforcement to regulate their possession constructions if the measure is handed.
With Cha holding greater than half of Coinone, the proposed cap might finally require him to scale back his stake. The Herald stated he might nonetheless retain administration management even when a sale proceeds.
The reported talks comply with different latest strikes by main South Korean corporations to safe positions within the crypto sector.
In late 2025, Naver Monetary disclosed plans for a roughly $10.3 billion all-stock deal to amass Dunamu, the operator of Upbit. On March 30, Naver Monetary delayed its deliberate share swap with Dunamu, as regulatory critiques continued and buying and selling volumes declined.
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