A Big Move for Crypto Exchange

• Bithumb aims for a Nasdaq listing in 2025, shifting from its earlier Kosdaq plans.
• Binance Labs invests in OpenEden, boosting the integration of real-world assets into DeFi.

Bithumb, South Korea’s second-largest crypto exchange, has made headlines for its decision to seek a public listing on Nasdaq in the United States.

During an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting, Bithumb revealed plans for an initial public offering (IPO) in the second half of 2025, with Samsung Securities serving as lead manager for this ambitious venture.

This decision is a substantial departure from Bithumb’s original aim to list on South Korea’s Kosdaq, which was thwarted owing to regulatory and governance concerns.

Bithumb’s decision to seek a Nasdaq listing reflects the company’s strategic goal of entering a broader, more global market while overcoming domestic limits and challenges.

🇰🇷@BithumbOfficial , a major South Korean cryptocurrency exchange, is reportedly considering a U.S. #Nasdaq listing.

This move would mark a significant expansion into the U.S. market, with plans still in the early stages. Bithumb has been exploring options to grow its global… pic.twitter.com/oV57v2R3Li

— Satoshi Talks (@Satoshi_Talks) September 30, 2024

Strategic Restructuring to Strengthen Bithumb Core Business Focus 

Bithumb announced a corporate restructuring in March of this year as part of its IPO preparations. The purpose was to increase the likelihood of a successful IPO by assessing the company’s emphasis on its flagship virtual asset exchange business.

This restructuring entails transferring certain business divisions to a newly established entity, informally known as Bithumb A or Bithumb Investment. This new company is expected to operate the holding, investment, and real estate leasing sectors, while Bithumb will focus on its current exchange-related business operations.

This strategic step demonstrates Bithumb’s dedication to enhancing its core strengths and meeting investor expectations in a constantly changing crypto ecosystem.

Aside from Bithumb’s activities, there are important developments in the world of cryptocurrency exchanges. According to our prior reports, Binance Labs, Binance’s investment arm, has made a major investment in OpenEden, which is intended to increase the adoption of tokenized real-world assets (RWA), particularly US Treasury Bills, in the decentralized finance (DeFi) field.