Coinone CEO Says Korea Investment, OKX Stakes Will Fuel Broader Blockchain Finance Expansion

Coinone said it plans to use strategic investments from Korea Investment & Securities Co. and OKX as a springboard to expand into a broader blockchain-based financial company.

At a press briefing held at Coinone’s office in Yeouido’s Parc1 Tower on June 4, Chief Executive Officer Cha Myunghoon said the company does not see its future as limited to operating a virtual-asset exchange. Instead, Coinone aims to grow into a blockchain-based comprehensive financial company in line with the rise of tokenized securities, or STOs, and digital assets.

Cha said Korea Investment & Securities and OKX were the partners Coinone needed most for its next stage of growth. The company needed an alliance that combined the trust of traditional finance with innovative technology leadership in global markets, he said, adding that Coinone brought in the two firms as strategic investors to secure both at once.

Korea Investment & Securities and OKX each acquired a 20% stake in Coinone last month, making them joint third-largest shareholders.

Cha said the investment goes beyond a simple equity stake purchase. With 13 million virtual-asset investors, the deal laid the groundwork for the digital-asset industry to establish itself as an institutionalized sector trusted by both the public and regulators, he said.

Korea Investment & Securities will provide compliance and risk-management capabilities, while OKX will contribute global trading infrastructure and Web3 technology, Cha said. He added that combining the strengths of leading players in each field would help build a digital-finance ecosystem that others cannot replicate.

Cha also outlined Coinone’s roadmap. In the short term, the company plans to combine the capabilities of its new partners to strengthen its leadership in South Korea’s virtual-asset market. Over the medium to long term, it aims to roll out digital financial products such as tokenized securities and stablecoins and develop into a global comprehensive financial platform.