OKX Ventures and Korea Investment & Securities plan to each invest 80 billion won for 19.6 percent stakes in South Korean crypto exchange Coinone. The combined 160 billion won deal requires regulatory approval.
The companies announced the transaction on Friday. It involves a mix of secondary share purchases and subscriptions for newly issued shares. Coinone will use the funds to expand into stablecoins and tokenized securities.
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South Korean stocks closed higher for the second straight session as investors hunted bargains amid volatility from the U.S.-Iran war. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 77.36 points, or 1.4 percent, to 5,609.95. The Korean won strengthened 2.7 won against the U.S. dollar to 1,466.5.
Japanese financial conglomerate SBI Holdings has submitted a letter of intent to acquire shares in cryptocurrency exchange Bitbank, aiming to make it a consolidated subsidiary. The move supports SBI's expansion in digital assets amid Japan's planned regulatory changes for cryptocurrencies. The deal is subject to due diligence, negotiations, and approvals.
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A wave of cryptocurrency exchange initial public offerings in 2025 highlighted the sector's maturation, but recent setbacks reveal heavy dependence on Bitcoin's price movements. Gemini's post-IPO struggles and Kraken's frozen listing underscore vulnerabilities to market cycles. Exchanges must prove revenue stability beyond Bitcoin rallies to sustain investor interest.
Seoul shares soared more than 2 percent on April 15 to close above 6,000 for the first time since the U.S.-Iran conflict erupted in late February. The Korean won strengthened against the U.S. dollar. Hopes for U.S.-Iran peace talks and Wall Street gains drove the rally.
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Seoul shares closed higher by 1.4 percent on optimism over upcoming U.S.-Iran ceasefire negotiations following a two-week Middle East truce. The KOSPI ended at 5,858.87, extending weekly gains to nearly 9 percent despite lingering geopolitical concerns. Investor sentiment improved amid positive regional developments.