Two major players in the cryptocurrency industry have announced significant plans to liquidate portions of their digital asset holdings, highlighting strategic treasury management and shifting business priorities. South Korean exchange Korbit, a subsidiary of Bithumb, plans to sell 65 Bitcoin (BTC) and 300 Ethereum (ETH) between March 6 and May 31, 2025. The stated purpose is to cover fundamental operating expenses, including labor costs, offering a rare public glimpse into the financial mechanics of a major exchange.
Concurrently, Bitcoin miner Core Scientific revealed in its annual filing that it sold just over 1,900 BTC for approximately $175 million in January 2026 at prices above current levels. The company, which now holds under 1,000 BTC, expects to monetize substantially all of its remaining Bitcoin holdings in 2026, largely in the first quarter. The proceeds are intended to enhance liquidity and fund capital expenditures for its accelerating pivot toward AI-focused data center infrastructure.
The Korbit sale, while relatively small in volume, is notable for its transparency and its context within South Korea's stringent regulatory environment. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) enforces strict compliance rules, which contribute to high operational costs for exchanges. The extended sale period is designed to minimize market impact.
For Core Scientific, the move reflects the mounting economic pressure on miners following the 2024 Bitcoin halving, which compressed industry margins. The company's stock fell roughly 3% in premarket trading following the announcement as investors weighed the scale of the planned sales. This strategic shift signals a move away from a pure-play Bitcoin miner model toward becoming a diversified digital infrastructure provider.
