Kiwoom Securities in talks to acquire Bithumb stake

Kiwoom Securities, one of South Korea's largest brokerage firms, is in talks to acquire a stake in Bithumb, the country's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. The discussions, which were reported on Monday, June 29, 2026, involve a potential third-party allotment of new shares issued by Bithumb. The exact size of the investment and the stake percentage have not been finalized, and no binding agreement has been reached.

A Bithumb official confirmed the exchange is exploring partnerships with various financial institutions but stated no specific decisions have been made. Kiwoom Securities has not publicly commented on the reported negotiations.

This move is part of a broader trend of traditional South Korean financial institutions seeking entry into the digital asset sector. Last month, Hana Bank announced it would acquire a $670 million stake in Dunamu, the operator of the Upbit exchange. Shortly after, three Samsung subsidiaries said they would purchase a combined 4% stake in Dunamu worth approximately $407.7 million. Other recent deals include OKX Ventures taking a 19.6% stake in Coinone and Binance completing its acquisition of the Gopax exchange.