Kiwoom Seeks Stake in Bithumb Amid South Korea's Crypto Regulatory Shift

Kiwoom Securities is taking steps to invest in Bithumb, South Korea's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange. The two parties are discussing a third-party allotment of new shares, which would allow Kiwoom to acquire an equity position without buying existing shares from current holders.

The exact investment size and final stake have not been fixed, but the talks remain at the negotiation stage, meaning the transaction could still change before any final agreement is signed. Bithumb currently owns 73.56% of its own shares, far above the proposed ownership cap of 20% for major shareholders.

The proposed investment comes as Korean securities firms move towards digital assets in anticipation of planned rule changes around security token offerings, stablecoins, and institutional crypto access. Kiwoom's interest is strategic, given its existing client accounts, compliance systems, capital-markets licenses, and retail trading infrastructure.