Coinbase Eyes Strategic Entry into Korean Crypto Market via Coinone Stake Acquisition

In a significant development within the global cryptocurrency exchange landscape, Coinbase—the leading U.S.-based digital asset platform—is actively exploring a strategic equity investment in Coinone, South Korea's third-largest cryptocurrency exchange. This potential move comes as Coinone's controlling shareholder, Cha Myung-hoon, who recently made an abrupt return to frontline management just four months after stepping down as CEO, is reportedly evaluating options to divest his stake. Market analysts widely interpret Cha's sudden re-engagement as a clear precursor to a formal stake sale process. The backdrop to these negotiations reveals a contrasting picture at Coinone: while the exchange has been investing in technological infrastructure upgrades to remain competitive, it concurrently faces notable financial headwinds that may be prompting the search for a strong strategic partner like Coinbase. For Coinbase, this represents a calculated foray into the lucrative yet complex South Korean crypto market, one of the world's most active and technologically advanced digital asset trading environments. A successful investment would not only grant Coinbase a substantial foothold in Asia but also provide Coinone with the capital, regulatory expertise, and global platform necessary to stabilize its operations and fuel future growth. This potential alliance, if realized, could significantly alter the competitive dynamics in East Asia's crypto sector, combining Coinbase's institutional reach with Coinone's established local presence. The deal underscores the ongoing consolidation and international expansion trends within the cryptocurrency industry, as major players seek to build global networks and navigate diverse regulatory landscapes.

Coinbase Explores Stake in Korea's Coinone Amid Restructuring

Coinbase is evaluating a potential equity investment in South Korea’s third-largest crypto exchange, Coinone, as controlling shareholder Cha Myung-hoon explores divestment options. The MOVE follows Cha’s abrupt return to frontline management four months after stepping down as CEO—a maneuver market observers interpret as prelude to a stake sale.

Coinone’s technological upgrades contrast with its financial struggles. The exchange claims Cha resumed leadership to accelerate AI integration and infrastructure development, even as mounting losses pressure its valuation. Com2uS, a gaming conglomerate that acquired a 38.42% stake between 2021-2022, remains another variable in the equation.

Coinbase representatives will visit Seoul this week for preliminary discussions, according to local reports. The talks unfold against South Korea’s tightening regulatory environment, where exchanges face increasing compliance costs.

Coinbase CEO Advocates for Fully On-Chain Fundraising to Democratize Capital Access

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has reignited his push for fully on-chain capital formation, arguing that current regulatory constraints disproportionately benefit private investors at the expense of public market participants. Strict securities laws have created a perverse incentive for high-growth companies to delay public listings, Armstrong contends, resulting in missed opportunities for retail investors when these firms eventually IPO.

The proposal builds on Armstrong's longstanding vision of end-to-end blockchain-based corporate lifecycle management. "You could open a Coinbase account for your startup," he suggested during a recent interview, framing crypto exchanges as potential one-stop-shops for incorporation through IPO execution. This model promises earlier price discovery and reduced intermediation costs compared to traditional fundraising pipelines.

Market observers note the irony of a centralized exchange championing decentralized finance solutions. Yet the concept aligns with growing institutional interest in tokenized securities and blockchain-based settlement systems. The initiative could particularly benefit projects building on ethereum and other smart contract platforms capable of handling complex financial instruments.

Polymarket’s U.S. Comeback Positions Prediction Markets as a Coinbase Retention Play

Polymarket has re-entered the U.S. market with regulatory approval from the CFTC, marking a strategic shift for prediction markets. The platform, previously restricted in 2022, now offers sports-related event contracts, with plans to expand into politics and crypto. Clear Street analyst Owen Lau sees this as a potential engagement tool for major platforms like Coinbase.

The approval allows Polymarket to onboard brokerages and customers directly, operating on regulated U.S. venues. By 2026, prediction models could play a pivotal role in fact-checking and truth verification, according to analysts.

Aggressive pricing accompanies the comeback—10 basis point taker fees and zero Maker fees set a new benchmark for the industry. This ultra-low fee structure underscores growing competition in prediction markets and sports betting.

70% of Institutions Say Bitcoin is Undervalued Despite 30% Crash – Bitcoin About to Rally?

Most institutional investors remain bullish on bitcoin despite brutal fourth-quarter volatility that erased nearly a third of the asset’s value from recent peaks. A new Coinbase Institutional and Glassnode survey found 70% of institutions view BTC as undervalued, even after the token dropped from above $125,000 in early October 2025 to trade around $90,000 by year-end. Meanwhile, 60% of non-institutional investors share that conviction.

The findings come from a quarterly poll of 148 global investors, split between 75 institutions and 73 non-institutions, conducted between December 10, 2025, and January 12, 2026. Despite the October liquidation event that shook altcoin markets and compressed leverage across derivatives platforms, most respondents held or added to crypto positions rather than retreating. Around 62% of institutions and 70% of non-institutions either maintained existing allocations or increased net long exposure since October.

Bearish sentiment has risen but doesn’t dominate positioning. Perceptions of the market cycle shifted noticeably during the quarter, with 26% of institutions and 21% of non-institutions now believing crypto has entered the bear-market markdown phase—up sharply from just 2% and 7%, respectively, in the prior survey. This shift exposes the weight of October’s deleveraging event.