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Bithumb delays IPO plans to post-2028 amid regulatory scrutiny

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South Korea exchanges record $60B crypto outflows as profits fall

Crypto exchange Bithumb is reportedly delaying plans for its IPO until after 2028, according to local media.

Summary

  • Bithumb has pushed its IPO timeline to after 2028 as it works to strengthen accounting standards and internal controls following regulatory setbacks.
  • The exchange remains under scrutiny after a $40 billion internal balance error and a 36.8 billion won fine tied to anti-money laundering violations.

Per a report from Maeil Business News Korea citing a Bithumb official, the South Korean crypto exchange is set to “focus on preparing for the listing until 2027.”

Bithumb’s CFO Jeong Sang-gyun said at the company’s annual shareholder meeting that the company was strengthening its accounting policies and internal controls following an IPO advisory agreement with Samjong KPMG.

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Bithumb recently reappointed CEO Lee Jae-won for a two-year term at the Tuesday meeting, where the IPO delay was also addressed. Initially, the listing was expected around 2025.

The delay also comes as Bithumb remains under sustained regulatory and operational scrutiny, with a series of incidents raising questions around internal controls and compliance standards. 

In February, the exchange mistakenly credited users with 2,000 Bitcoin instead of 2,000 Korean won during a promotional event that created internal balances exceeding $40 billion. 

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While most of the funds existed only on the platform’s internal ledger and were later reversed, the incident drew regulatory attention over how such large discrepancies could be processed within minutes.

Separately, South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service has been examining the incident to assess potential weaknesses in Bithumb’s electronic ledger systems and oversight mechanisms.

Earlier this month, the exchange was also fined 36.8 billion won, about $24.5 million, for violations of anti-money laundering rules.

The exchange allegedly processed 45,772 crypto transfers involving 18 unregistered overseas virtual asset service providers, in breach of regulatory requirements.

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Despite the delays, a major exchange going public could carry broader implications for crypto adoption and capital markets in the country.

Meanwhile, Dunamu, which operates Upbit, has also announced plans for an IPO following the completion of a share swap with Naver Financial, expected later this year.

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Crypto World

Coinbase (COIN) Stock Secures Preliminary Federal Trust Charter Approval from OCC

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COIN Stock Card

Key Takeaways

  • The OCC has granted Coinbase conditional authorization to establish a federally chartered trust entity
  • This charter is limited to custody operations and market infrastructure, excluding retail deposits and traditional banking
  • Final approval hinges on Coinbase completing multiple regulatory and administrative requirements
  • The federal designation is anticipated to expand Coinbase’s reach among institutional investors
  • Coinbase’s current New York state trust charter and BitLicense continue operating without interruption

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has issued conditional authorization for Coinbase (COIN) to launch Coinbase National Trust Company, a federally chartered trust institution.

This OCC charter is tailored exclusively for custody operations and market infrastructure services. The crypto exchange will not accept consumer deposits or function as a conventional fractional reserve banking institution under this authorization.

According to Greg Tusar, Co-CEO of Coinbase Institutional, the clearance provides “federal regulatory uniformity to the custody and market infrastructure business we have been building for years.”

Coinbase filed its national trust charter application with the OCC in October of last year. The platform currently operates under a limited-purpose trust charter issued by the New York Department of Financial Services, which authorizes digital asset custody services at the state level through Coinbase Prime, its institutional division.


COIN Stock Card
Coinbase Global, Inc., COIN

The federal charter represents a significant upgrade. “We’re the custodian to over 80% of the world’s digital asset ETFs, but there are a number of other asset managers and hedge funds and others that would like to see the entity that they face have this kind of charter,” Tusar explained.

Essentially, the OCC certification unlocks opportunities that state-level authorization alone cannot provide.

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Coinbase’s institutional division reported $245.7 billion in assets under custody as of June 2025 — representing approximately 7% of the entire cryptocurrency market, based on figures from its charter filing.

Outstanding Requirements for Final Approval

Conditional authorization differs from full approval. Before the charter becomes operational, Coinbase must convene its inaugural board meeting, implement corporate bylaws, set up payment infrastructure, and successfully complete a pre-launch examination by the OCC.

The company has committed to collaborating closely with OCC regulators to satisfy all outstanding conditions.

Meanwhile, Coinbase’s existing New York BitLicense and state-level trust charter remain active and unchanged. Coinbase, Inc. continues its operations under NYDFS supervision without disruption.

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Other Applicants Pursuing Federal Charters

Coinbase isn’t the only crypto firm seeking this regulatory status. The OCC granted conditional approvals to multiple digital asset companies late last year, including BitGo, Circle Internet Group, Fidelity Digital Assets, Ripple, and Paxos.

Additionally, EDX Markets — backed by Morgan Stanley and Citadel Securities — along with World Liberty Financial, the Trump family’s most significant cryptocurrency initiative, have submitted national trust charter applications.

The federal charter also establishes infrastructure for emerging payment solutions and complementary financial services, targeting both institutional partners and retail users as primary beneficiaries.

While Congress has moved forward with market structure legislation, federal supervision of crypto custody providers has remained inconsistent. This OCC approval fills that regulatory void for institutional services without requiring completed legislative action.

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Crypto World

Coinbase Receives Conditional Approval for US Trust Charter

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Coinbase, Banks, United States, Cryptocurrency Exchange

The US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has approved cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase’s application for a national bank trust charter after six months of consideration.

In a Thursday X post, Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal said the company received conditional approval for the OCC application, following December approvals for Ripple Labs, BitGo, Circle, Fidelity Digital Assets and Paxos.

Although the company said in October it had “no intention of becoming a bank” if approved, the move by US regulators marks one of the most significant forays into bridging crypto and traditional finance.

Coinbase, Banks, United States, Cryptocurrency Exchange
Source: Paul Grewal

“Coinbase is not becoming a commercial bank,” said vice president of institutional product Greg Tusar in a Thursday blog post.We will not be taking retail deposits. We will not be engaging in fractional reserve banking. This charter is about bringing federal regulatory uniformity to the custody and market infrastructure business we have been building for years.”

Tusar said that the company would continue to operate under the Department of Financial Services in New York, where it holds a BitLicense and a state charter as a limited-purpose trust company.

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The OCC approval, coupled with Coinbase’s state-level efforts, came as the company is in the middle of a debate on issues stalling a digital asset market structure bill in Congress, including over stablecoin yield.

CEO Brian Armstrong said in January that the exchange could not support the legislation as written. Lawmakers on the Senate Banking Committee later postponed a markup, which is necessary before a potential floor vote on the bill.

Related: Coinbase exec says Senate CLARITY compromise is close, but no markup date set

At the time of publication, the OCC website showed no change to Coinbase’s application, which it marked as received by the banking regulator. Cointelegraph reached out to the exchange for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

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Coinbase faces legal pushback over prediction markets

The crypto platform rolled out prediction market bets for US-based users in January as part of a partnership with Kalshi.

In lawsuits filed preemptively against state gaming authorities in Connecticut, Illinois and Michigan, Coinbase argued that the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, as a federal regulator, had the authority to oversee prediction markets. Many of the cases were ongoing as of Thursday.

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