Talk of a potential ownership change at Coinone accelerated after a report in the Seoul Economic Daily said the exchange is exploring options that include selling part of the largest shareholder’s stake, and that overseas exchanges and domestic financial firms have discussed equity investment and cooperation. The report described chairman Cha Myung-hoon’s combined holding as 53.44% through direct ownership and his personal holding company, and framed the process as still undecided on structure.
The rumor gained wider crypto reach after WuBlockchain posted that Coinbase Korea visited South Korea and discussed potential equity investment and cooperation with Coinone, in the same window where the controlling shareholder is said to be considering a partial sale.
English-language coverage followed, with outlets including The Block summarizing the Seoul Economic Daily report and the broader market speculation around interest from large overseas exchanges.
South Korean exchange M&A rumors can run for days on local and regional social channels before the core details crystallize in English crypto media. When a rumor includes a brand like Coinbase, it tends to travel faster and reshape expectations around market access, licensing strategy, and competitive dynamics in Korea.
A real equity investment or cooperation deal could signal more than simple consolidation. It can also indicate a shift toward capital injections, governance reshaping, and a tighter alignment between Korean onshore liquidity and offshore product ecosystems.
The Seoul Economic Daily framing was that Coinone is “discussing” options and speaking with counterparties, not that a sale is finalized. The report also quoted a Coinone official as saying the exchange is discussing cooperation measures including equity investment with overseas exchanges and domestic financial companies, while adding that the specific method has not been decided.
Bloomingbit reported that a Coinone official said claims related to selling the chairman’s stake are unfounded and that parts of the articles are not true, which is a meaningful counter-signal when rumor velocity is high.
Coinbase’s side has been more cautious in reporting so far. DL News said Coinbase refused to comment on the reports about meetings and takeover talk, which is consistent with how large exchanges typically handle early-stage M&A speculation.
The near-term direction of this rumor depends on two fact checks that tend to settle the market narrative quickly.
First, the original Korean reporting chain. If additional Korean outlets confirm the same stake-sale exploration details, including who is running the process and what form the stake change could take, confidence in the story generally rises. If more corrections and denials appear, the rumor can cool just as fast.
Second, the shareholder timeline. The key question is whether the controlling shareholder is actively in a structured sale process, such as a formal mandate to advisors, or whether discussions are still exploratory. That difference affects whether “cooperation” means strategic partnership talks, a minority equity check, or a longer-path acquisition thesis.
The Coinone “for sale” storyline is currently a live rumor with competing signals: local reporting indicates discussions around equity investment and cooperation in the context of a potential partial stake sale, while Coinone has pushed back on parts of the coverage. With WuBlockchain amplifying the Coinbase Korea angle, the next confirmations or denials from Korean business outlets and the parties involved are likely to determine whether this becomes a sustained M&A narrative or a short-lived speculation cycle.
The post Coinone “For Sale” Rumor Puts Coinbase Korea in the Spotlight appeared first on Crypto Adventure.
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