NXC, the parent company of South Korean gaming giant Nexon, has signaled a systematic retreat from its crypto holdings, according to its 2025 consolidated financial report. The group's total crypto asset value fell 15.2% year-on-year to 1.476 trillion won (approx. $100 million), down from 1.74 trillion won the previous year. As of end-2025, NXC held 2,356 bitcoin (BTC) and 22,420 ether (ETH). But the headline numbers mask a more profound shift: NXC has already sold its stake in European exchange Bitstamp and resolved to offload its entire 65.19% holding in South Korea's Korbit exchange, effectively winding down the crypto strategy launched by founder Kim Jung-ju in 2021.
Bitstamp Divested, Korbit Next
NXC completed the sale of its equity in Bitstamp Ltd., removing the exchange from its consolidated subsidiaries list. NXC had acquired a majority stake in Bitstamp for roughly $400 million in 2018, holding it for seven years before exiting. The move closes a transcontinental crypto footprint. Domestically, NXC's board in February 2026 formally resolved to sell its entire stake in Korbit, one of South Korea's oldest crypto exchanges. Local media had earlier reported Mirae Asset as a potential buyer, but no final deal has been announced. Combined with the BTC/ETH paper loss, these actions show crypto has been downgraded from a strategic priority to a disposal asset.
Simultaneous Pivot to European Industrial B2B
NXC hasn't left its capital idle. In February 2026, its Belgian investment subsidiary NXMH acquired an equity stake in CLI Group B.V., a European industrial solutions provider, bringing it into the consolidation scope. The acquisition value and stake percentage were not disclosed, but the direction is clear: Nexon Group is shifting resources from gaming and crypto into European industrial B2B. According to Digital Today citing internal sources, this marks the group's first cross-border acquisition targeting industrial manufacturing services, a notable departure from its previous focus on game IP expansion or crypto asset allocation.
Financials: Revenue Up, Profits Under Pressure
NXC's 2025 consolidated revenue reached 5.1751 trillion won, up about 3.8% year-on-year, indicating the core gaming business still generated growth. However, operating profit fell 17.4% to 960.9 billion won, reflecting cost structure and restructuring pressures. Net profit dropped sharply to 85.9 billion won from 2.2467 trillion won the prior year. However, the report explicitly notes that the 2024 figure included a one-time gain of about 1.4485 trillion won from a subsidiary disposal, creating a base effect. Excluding that item, the decline in 2025 earnings is more moderate, but the group remains in a profit structure adjustment phase.
From a $100 Million Bet to Systematic Withdrawal
The timeline is clear. In April 2021, Kim Jung-ju personally announced NXC's purchase of 1,717 BTC for around $100 million, making it the first major corporate bitcoin allocation in Asian gaming, following in the footsteps of MicroStrategy and Tesla. After Kim's death in February 2022, the succeeding management gradually deprioritized crypto. Bitstamp sold, Korbit to be sold, and BTC holdings reduced to 2,356 from their peak—all three vectors of NXC's crypto involvement (direct holdings, exchange equity, local exchange) are now in liquidation or exit mode. For the crypto industry, a once-high-profile Asian corporate BTC allocation case has officially ended.
Three lingering questions: Who will buy Korbit? Has Bitstamp's new owner been finalized? Will NXC continue to reduce its remaining 2,356 BTC and 22,420 ETH? The answers will write the final chapter of this crypto retreat narrative.