Mirae Asset Group is exploring a potential purchase of Korbit, Korea’s oldest crypto exchange, according to The Chosun Daily. An MOU has reportedly been signed between Mirae Asset Consulting and Korbit’s major shareholders. Korbit is currently 60.5% owned by NXC, the gaming company behind Nexon, and 31.5% owned by SK Square. The purchase, if it goes ahead, would come to around $70 million to $100 million.
Traditional institutions have shown growing interest in Korean crypto exchanges. Upbit, Korea’s largest exchange, is in talks with Naver Financial for a takeover that could proceed in 2026. Bybit was reportedly interested in buying Korbit in November 2025, but no further news materialised. Mirae Asset may be a better fit since it is headquartered in South Korea, whereas Bybit is primarily a Dubai-based exchange.
Holding crypto through exchanges carries risks. Upbit was hacked twice in six years, most recently in November, resulting in a loss of about $30 million in Solana tokens. Korbit also suffered a 12-hour outage in June, prompting an investigation by the Korean Financial Supervisory Service. As a result, many investors prefer to store their crypto in self-custody wallets.
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