Korean Companies That Learned to Hoard Coins from MicroStrategy: From Bull Market to Delisting?
South Korean companies that adopted the “Digital Asset Treasury” (DAT) strategy—issuing shares to buy and hold Bitcoin, inspired by MicroStrategy—now face delisting risks on the KOSDAQ market. New regulations effective July 1, 2026, tightened listing maintenance rules, notably raising the minimum market capitalization threshold from 150 billion KRW to 200 billion KRW (about $1.3 million), with a further increase to 300 billion KRW scheduled for January 2027. Companies failing to meet both the share price and market cap requirements for specified periods risk being designated for delisting, with fewer options for financial engineering like stock splits to artificially boost prices.
The downturn in cryptocurrency prices has severely impacted these firms. Bitcoin, which peaked above $120,000 in mid-2025, has fallen below $60,000, forcing DAT companies to report large valuation losses. Compounding this, the KOSDAQ index has dropped about 10% year-to-date, while the main KOSPI index surged nearly 95%, diverting investor interest away from smaller-cap stocks.
Examples like BitPlanet (holding 300 BTC) and Parataxis Ethereum currently hover just above the new market cap limits, but face heightened scrutiny and potential delisting starting in 2027. Industry analysts warn that the combination of weak crypto markets, a struggling KOSDAQ, and stricter regulations creates a significant survival challenge for these companies, highlighting the risks of business models overly reliant on volatile digital asset prices.
链捕手07/03 09:40
