South Korea’s crypto heavyweight Bithumb is gearing up for a high-stakes IPO — and it’s not coming quietly.
The exchange just announced a major corporate restructuring as part of its public listing prep, with plans to spin off its non-exchange business into a new entity called Bithumb A. This structural overhaul is designed to split risk, tighten operations, and sweeten the deal for investors eyeing its upcoming KOSDAQ debut.
If successful, Bithumb could make history as the first publicly traded crypto exchange in South Korea.
The strategy? Separate the volatile trading business from the investment and asset management side.
According to Bithumb leadership, this move is all about minimizing risk crossover between the two divisions and boosting transparency — a key checkbox for regulators and IPO investors alike.
The restructuring is expected to wrap up by July 31, 2025.
Bithumb broke down the division of company assets:
The asset division will roll out in several phases, aiming for completion by end of July 2025.
Bithumb has Samsung Securities on deck as IPO advisor and is targeting a KOSDAQ listing in the second half of 2025.
But that’s not the endgame.
Whispers in the market suggest Bithumb is also eyeing a global listing — possibly Nasdaq — following the Korean IPO. The company first floated these ambitions back in September 2024.
The IPO run hasn’t been drama-free.
The company faced searches and seizures related to allegations of fund misappropriation. The former CEO stands accused of embezzling $2 million in corporate funds.
But current Bithumb leadership remains bullish, positioning the restructuring and IPO as a reset and a move toward stronger compliance, data security, and client protection.
The move to separate business lines isn’t just optics — it’s a calculated play to:
With the crypto sector under growing scrutiny worldwide, Bithumb’s restructuring is a signal: play by the rules, scale globally, and stay competitive.
One exchange. Two companies. One shot at rewriting the crypto playbook in Korea.
The Bithumb IPO watch has officially begun.
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