Mirae Asset Consulting completed its acquisition of South Korean crypto exchange Korbit in July 2026, raising its stake to 97.15% in a deal valued at approximately 141.4 billion won (roughly $95 million to $102 million). South Korea's Fair Trade Commission approved the transaction on July 9, 2026, determining the acquisition would not restrict competition given Korbit's roughly 0.5% share of Korea's crypto trading market in 2025. The acquisition positions Mirae Asset to integrate digital assets with traditional securities under its Mirae Asset 3.0 strategy, with Korbit rebranding as Digital X to serve as infrastructure connecting stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, and stocks. Korbit, founded in 2013, trails market leaders Upbit and Bithumb by a wide margin in trading volume, while Mirae Asset Financial Group reported about $1 trillion in client assets under management as of May 2026.
Mirae Asset Raises Korbit Stake to 97.15% in $102 Million Deal
Mirae Asset Consulting initially secured about 92% of Korbit, then purchased an additional 5.42% stake to bring total ownership to 97.15%. The combined investment reached approximately 141.4 billion won, equivalent to roughly $95 million to $102 million depending on the exchange rate applied. According to the Korean Herald, the deal closed in July 2026 following regulatory clearance.
South Korea's Fair Trade Commission approved the acquisition on July 9, 2026, citing Korbit's roughly 0.5% share of Korea's crypto trading market in 2025 as evidence the deal would not restrict competition. Mirae Asset stated that Korbit's operating entity, user deposits, and core trading services will remain unchanged for now, with customer assets held separately under existing protection rules.
Korbit Rebrands as Digital X Under Mirae Asset 3.0 Strategy
Korbit is being renamed Digital X. Mirae Asset founder and Global Strategy Officer Park Hyeon-joo told employees the "X" represents "an uncharted future and the limitless possibilities created when different forms of value intersect and converge."
Park described Digital X as central to Mirae Asset 3.0, a strategy meant to connect real-world asset tokenization, security token offerings, stablecoins, traditional securities, and digital assets on a single platform. The company says Digital X will function as an "intelligent investment platform" combining research, investor education, and institutional-grade compliance systems, including anti-money-laundering, know-your-customer, and fraud detection tools.
Digital X Positioned as Compliance-Focused Infrastructure Platform
Mirae Asset has stated directly that Digital X is not built to overtake Upbit or Bithumb on trading volume. Instead, the company is positioning the platform as infrastructure, pairing its securities and asset management background with Korbit's digital asset operations.
Park invoked Bitcoin's shift from skepticism to mainstream acceptance, saying the industry must now "write the next chapter of finance." He added that "trust takes a lifetime to build but can collapse in an instant" and called compliance "an absolute standard that cannot be compromised."
The move follows Mirae Asset's earlier launch of the Mirae Asset Portfolio Service in Hong Kong, a platform built to integrate traditional and digital assets for global clients.
Digital X to Integrate Tokenized Assets Pending Regulatory Developments
Full integration of tokenized real-world assets, security token offerings, and stablecoins remains a stated goal rather than a completed build. Execution will depend on how Korean regulators handle digital asset rules in the months ahead.
For now, Digital X operates with Korbit's existing licenses and user base, while Mirae Asset works to fold a regulated brokerage playbook into a crypto exchange still finding its footing against much larger domestic rivals.
FAQ
What did Mirae Asset acquire in July 2026?
Mirae Asset Consulting completed its acquisition of South Korean crypto exchange Korbit in July 2026, raising its stake to 97.15% in a deal valued at approximately 141.4 billion won (roughly $95 million to $102 million). South Korea's Fair Trade Commission approved the transaction on July 9, 2026.
Why did South Korea's regulators approve the Korbit acquisition?
South Korea's Fair Trade Commission approved the acquisition on July 9, 2026, determining the deal would not restrict competition given Korbit's roughly 0.5% share of Korea's crypto trading market in 2025.
What is Digital X and how does it relate to Korbit?
Korbit is being rebranded as Digital X under Mirae Asset's Mirae Asset 3.0 strategy. Digital X is positioned as infrastructure connecting stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, security token offerings, traditional securities, and digital assets on a single platform, combining research, investor education, and institutional-grade compliance systems.
