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  • Bitplanet becomes South Korea’s first listed firm to buy Bitcoin (BTC)

    Bitplanet becomes South Korea’s first listed firm to buy Bitcoin (BTC)

    Bitplanet becomes South Korea’s first listed firm to buy Bitcoin

    • Bitplanet bought 93 BTC in Korea’s first regulated corporate purchase.
    • The firm plans daily Bitcoin buys to reach a 10,000 BTC treasury.
    • Backed by major investors, Bitplanet leads Korea’s Bitcoin adoption.

    Bitplanet has made history in South Korea’s financial landscape by becoming the nation’s first publicly traded company to purchase Bitcoin (BTC) through a regulated domestic exchange.

    The KOSDAQ-listed technology firm recently acquired 92.67 BTC — worth approximately $10.9 million — marking a new chapter in the country’s corporate embrace of digital assets.

    Korea’s first regulated corporate Bitcoin buy

    The BTC acquisition positions Bitplanet as a pioneer in compliant Bitcoin adoption within Asia’s evolving financial ecosystem.

    It is the first time a listed company has acquired Bitcoin through a licensed exchange within the country’s regulated financial infrastructure.

    Executed entirely under the supervision of South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the transaction signals growing confidence among institutional investors that Bitcoin can serve as a legitimate, strategic treasury asset.

    The Seoul-based company described the move as a deliberate, rules-based initiative rather than a speculative trade.

    Co-CEO Paul Lee explained that the purchase marks the start of a disciplined, long-term accumulation plan designed to reduce timing risks while positioning Bitcoin as a strategic treasury reserve.

    The transaction was executed fully in compliance with domestic financial laws, a milestone that could encourage other listed companies to follow suit.

    Notably, the timing of Bitplanet’s move coincided with a strong rally in Bitcoin prices, which recently climbed above $115,000 amid optimism about US Federal Reserve rate cuts and increasing exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows.

    By choosing this moment to make its first acquisition, Bitplanet demonstrated not only market awareness but also confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term role as a corporate asset.

    From its IT roots to a Bitcoin treasury company

    Founded in 1997 as SGA Co., Ltd., Bitplanet has deep roots in IT, cybersecurity, and education technology services.

    The company rebranded in September 2025 to reflect a broader shift toward blockchain and Bitcoin-focused ventures.

    Its pivot follows the full $50 million acquisition of SGA earlier in the year and the completion of a $40 million fundraising round to support its new treasury strategy.

    This strategic transformation underscores Bitplanet’s vision of becoming South Korea’s first institutional-grade Bitcoin treasury company.

    The firm has developed a comprehensive infrastructure for compliant digital asset management, including regulated custody solutions, secure storage, and real-time audit systems that meet government and financial oversight standards.

    Bitplanet’s management says it intends to accumulate Bitcoin daily through licensed domestic exchanges, aiming to build a reserve of up to 10,000 BTC over time.

    This steady, methodical approach minimises exposure to market volatility and mirrors similar strategies employed by firms such as Japan’s Metaplanet, one of Bitplanet’s key backers.

    Backed by global Bitcoin advocates

    Bitplanet’s Bitcoin strategy is supported by a global network of digital asset investors.

    The firm’s backers include Simon Gerovich of Metaplanet, AsiaStrategy, Sora Ventures, UTXO Management, KCGI, Kingsway Capital, and ParaFi Capital — groups known for advancing institutional Bitcoin adoption worldwide.

    Their involvement signals strong confidence in Bitplanet’s compliance-focused model and its potential to establish a new standard for Bitcoin treasury management in Asia.

    Industry observers believe the company’s regulated approach could pave the way for broader corporate participation in South Korea’s growing digital asset market.

    The BTC purchase also aligns with the country’s forthcoming Digital Asset Basic Act, scheduled to take effect by 2027, which will formalise the rules for cryptocurrency custody and corporate holdings.

    By moving early, Bitplanet positions itself to benefit from the regulatory clarity that this law is expected to bring.

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  • Lagrange price rockets 80% amid listing on South Korea’s largest crypto exchange

    Lagrange price rockets 80% amid listing on South Korea’s largest crypto exchange

    Bitcoin Soared Amid Wall Street Gains

    • Lagrange price skyrocketed by over 80% after South Korea’s largest crypto exchange, Upbit, announced trading support.
    • Upbit also listed Lombard, a Bitcoin DeFi protocol.
    • Both BARD and LA tokens pared gains amid rising profit-taking.

    Lagrange (LA), a zero-knowledge (ZK) infrastructure project, saw its price skyrocket by more than 80% following a listing announcement by Upbit, South Korea’s leading cryptocurrency exchange.

    As Upbit’s move sparked widespread interest, LA price reached intraday highs of $0.64 and ranked among the top gainers as it outpaced the likes of Wormhole, EigenLayer and Pudgy Penguins.

    Lombard, another token landing on Upbit, witnessed a sharp spike before swiftly paring gains amid profit-taking.

    Lagrange price soars 80% after Upbit listing announcement

    As noted, upward momentum for Lagrange gained traction with the announcement of its listing on Upbit.

    In an update, Upbit said it would list LA for spot trading against the Korean won, with the BARD/KRW pair available at 19:30 pm local time on Sept. 18.

    Following the news, LA’s price spiked by more than 80%, pushing the token’s value to highs of $0.64.

    LA price had hovered at lows of $0.35 prior to Upbit’s announcement.

    The price surge aligns with historical trends that have seen newly listed tokens, particularly on major exchanges like Upbit, go parabolic amid significant volatility.

    Lagrange price chart by CoinMarketCap

    Upbit also lists the Bitcoin DeFi platform Lombard

    South Korea’s Upbit has also expanded its list of supported cryptocurrencies with the listing of  Lombard (BARD).

    The exchange announced trading support for the native token of the Bitcoin DeFi platform on Thursday, adding trading pairs for BTC and Korean won.

    Upbit’s listing of BARD adds to the growing number of tokens that have found traction on the leading crypto exchange in South Korea.

    Investors interested in leveraging Bitcoin’s stability for DeFi applications will fancy Lombard, which aims to bring Bitcoin-based capital markets on-chain, and rallied amid a confluence of other factors too.

    BARD and LA price outlook

    Lagrange’s zero-knowledge proof generation platform has attracted support from global giants such as Nvidia, ZKSync developer Matter Labs and Polygon.

    Meanwhile, Lombard is a project looking to tap into Bitcoin’s growing DeFi ecosystem. Analysts note that both tokens are riding exchange momentum.

    Nonetheless, volatility may engulf both before a steadier growth trajectory emerges.

    As of writing, LA traded around $0.48, sharply paring gains amid a staggering 1,120% spike in daily trading volume.

    BARD meanwhile hovered around $1.08, again having sharply retreated from its intraday peak of $1.61.

    Analysts expect the buzz around these tokens will cool off and likely add to downward pressure.

    However, the overall broader market sentiment is bullish.

    As such, holding key levels at $0.40 and $1 could be key to LA and BARD’s short term price outlook.

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  • Optimism price spikes as OP lands on South Korea’s largest crypto exchange

    Optimism price spikes as OP lands on South Korea’s largest crypto exchange

    • Optimism price increased by more than 13% to highs of $0.84 amid gains for PancakeSwap, Ethena and SPX6900.
    • Upbit, South Korea’s leading crypto exchange, announced the listing of the Ethereum layer 2 scaling solution’s native token OP.
    • The price of OP could explode 100% as bulls eye $2.

    Optimism (OP) price is up double-digits, mirroring moves by PancakeSwap, Ethena and SPX6900 as top altcoins by 24-hour gains.

    Gains for the native token of the Ethereum layer 2 scaling solution come amid a major boost from Upbit, South Korea’s dominant crypto exchange.

    With new trading pairs set to launch for OP, price could follow.

    South Korea’s Upbit adds support for Optimism

    Upbit, a titan in South Korea’s crypto landscape, is rolling out new trading pairs for Optimism (OP).

    The exchange said this in an official announcement posted earlier today.

    In it, Upbit confirms that trading support will kick off at 16:30 KST, bringing massive trading volume and liquidity to OP.

    With South Korea being a big crypto market, this news has buoyed OP’s daily volume and price.

    As noted, Optimism has managed an impressive 13% spike from its recent trough of $0.71 to a peak of $0.84.

    The surge is accompanied by a staggering 420% spike in trading volume, which surged past $700 million.

    It’s a reaction that reinforces Upbit’s reputation as one of crypto’s biggest exchanges by daily volume.

    The listing may bolster bulls and bring new highs into the picture.

    OP has also traded higher in recent weeks after $956 billion asset manager Hamilton Lane expanded its flagship fund, Senior Credit Opportunities Securitize Fund (SCOPE), to Optimism and the Ethereum mainnet.

    Optimism price forecast: Another 100% gain for OP?

    As the crypto market holds onto bullish sentiment and analysts say altcoin season is yet to unfold, one of the coins to watch is Optimism.

    The OP token teeters on the verge of a breakout, with Upbit’s listing a potentially huge catalyst.

    Notably, the exchange’s vast user base and low 0.05% KRW trading fees could propel OP into the spotlight, potentially attracting both retail and institutional players.

    A look at technical indicators shows bulls have an upper hand.

    Optimism price chart by TradingView

    The daily chart has a rising Relative Strength Index (RSI), which signals robust buying pressure.

    OP’s price outlook is also positive as indicated by the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD), currently sporting a bullish crossover.

    While Optimism price hovers near $0.82 at the time of writing, upside momentum amid fresh retail demand could help push it past $1.

    The token last traded at highs of $1.2 in April. If buyers reclaim this level, a break to $2 and YTD peak of $2.1 is likely.

    However, if sellers emerge amid the Upbit listing-driven hype, primary support levels are around $0.74 and $0.68.
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  • South Korea’s national pension fund buys $34M of MicroStrategy shares

    South Korea’s national pension fund buys $34M of MicroStrategy shares

    The National Pension Service, South Korea’s national pension fund, has reported purchases of nearly $34 million in MicroStrategy shares.

    NPS is South Korea’s largest public pension fund and the third-largest in the world with over $729 billion worth of assets.

    Wu Blockchain shared the news via X:

    Details filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission indicate the NPS acquired 245,500 of MicroStrategy shares at a total of $33.5 million. The filing relates to the fund’s investments in the quarter ending June 30, 2024.

    According to news outlet Infomax, the National Pension Service’s investment in shares of the US-based MicroStrategy accounts for 0.04% of the fund’s total investment in US stocks.

    Apart from MSTR, the fund also holds more than $51 million in Coinbase shares, $31.5 million in Roblox and over $61 million in shares of Block, Inc. The fund also holds shares of AI-chip powerhouse Nvidia, and tech giants Google and Microsoft.

    MicroStrategy shares up 92% YTD

    While the MicroStrategy stock has plummeted 20% as the crypto market struggles with choppy conditions. Despite falling from highs of $180 in mid-July to currently around $131, MSTR remains more than 92% up year-to-date.

    MicroStrategy, as well as top crypto related companies such as Coinbase, are largely bullish amid growth and projections for Bitcoin. For Michael Saylor-led MicroStrategy, part of the success has come after adopting the strategy of adding BTC to its balance sheet.

    MSTR has soared alongside Bitcoin since MicroStrategy first bought BTC in 2020, the latest surge coming amid Bitcoin’s push to reclaim $60k.

    Saylor said in a recent post on X that MSTR has outperformed 499 of the 500 stocks in the S&P 500.

    The company acquired an additional 12,222 BTC in Q2, 2024, adding more than $805 million in BTC to its haul. Currently, MicroStrategy holds 226,500 BTC worth over $13 billion.

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