Key Takeaways
- • Mirae Asset Venture Investment and Korea Investment Partners emerge as top earners from South Korea's 2026 VC market rally, capitalizing on strong domestic market momentum and international deal flow.
- • Mirae Asset Securities posts record profitability: consolidated net profit reached 1.59 trillion won (up 71% year-on-year) with pretax profit of 2.08 trillion won, driven by a record 75.6% domestic equity fund market rally in 2025.
- • Pair Square Lab closes Series B funding led by CKX Partners with participation from Mirae Asset Capital and Korea Investment Partners, targeting regulated digital asset infrastructure and on-chain financial platforms.
- • Dual leadership reaffirmed: Mirae Asset co-CEOs Kim Mi-seob and Heo Sun-ho secured new terms backed by shareholder approval, with the company deploying a record 634.7 billion won in total shareholder returns (40% of net income payout ratio).
- • SpaceX and xAI investments position Mirae for global expansion: Founder Park Hyeon-joo pledges to redeploy estimated $20 billion in accumulated profits from high-profile tech investments into aggressive international M&A strategy across Japan, Australia, and other advanced markets.
Summary
South Korea's venture capital landscape is experiencing significant momentum in 2026, with Mirae Asset Venture Investment and Korea Investment Partners standing out as top performers. Both firms are benefiting from a broader market rally that has elevated South Korea's VC sector into a major international center for high-growth technology investments. This performance reflects strengthened institutional appetite for Korean venture deals and increased capital deployment from domestic and international limited partners.
Mirae Asset Securities, the parent entity driving much of this VC ecosystem activity, delivered exceptional financial results for fiscal 2025. The company reported consolidated net profit of 1.59 trillion won, representing a 71% year-on-year increase, with pretax profit reaching 2.08 trillion won (up 70% year-on-year). These results were substantially aided by a record 75.6% rally in South Korea's domestic equity fund market during 2025, where Mirae Asset Global Investments maintained its position as one of the two largest public fund managers in the country. Co-CEOs Kim Mi-seob and Heo Sun-ho, who oversee global operations and wealth management respectively, secured shareholder reappointment at the company's annual general meeting, reflecting confidence in the dual leadership structure.
The firm is simultaneously expanding venture commitments through portfolio companies and co-investment vehicles. Pair Square Lab, a digital asset infrastructure company, recently closed a Series B funding round led by CKX Partners with participation from both Mirae Asset Capital and Korea Investment Partners as co-investors. The round aims to bolster regulated financial infrastructure, with Pair Square Lab positioning itself as a foundational player in South Korea's emerging digital asset ecosystem, including participation in token securities exchanges and KRW stablecoin initiatives backed by major banks and corporations.
Strategic capital deployment is accelerating internationally. Mirae Asset Group founder and global strategy officer Park Hyeon-joo disclosed that high-profile investments in SpaceX and xAI have generated substantial returns, with accumulated operating profits and investment exits over the next five years estimated at approximately $20 billion. These gains are earmarked for aggressive overseas mergers and acquisitions across Japan, Australia, and other advanced financial markets, positioning the group for what Park characterizes as a "second founding" driven by AI-driven market transformation. The shareholder returns policy reflects confidence in this strategy, with the company deploying a record 634.7 billion won to shareholders in 2025 (174.2 billion won in cash dividends, 290.3 billion won in stock dividends, and 170.2 billion won in treasury share cancellations), representing approximately 40% of net income—the highest payout ratio on record.
Mirae Asset Securities, the parent entity driving much of this VC ecosystem activity, delivered exceptional financial results for fiscal 2025. The company reported consolidated net profit of 1.59 trillion won, representing a 71% year-on-year increase, with pretax profit reaching 2.08 trillion won (up 70% year-on-year). These results were substantially aided by a record 75.6% rally in South Korea's domestic equity fund market during 2025, where Mirae Asset Global Investments maintained its position as one of the two largest public fund managers in the country. Co-CEOs Kim Mi-seob and Heo Sun-ho, who oversee global operations and wealth management respectively, secured shareholder reappointment at the company's annual general meeting, reflecting confidence in the dual leadership structure.
The firm is simultaneously expanding venture commitments through portfolio companies and co-investment vehicles. Pair Square Lab, a digital asset infrastructure company, recently closed a Series B funding round led by CKX Partners with participation from both Mirae Asset Capital and Korea Investment Partners as co-investors. The round aims to bolster regulated financial infrastructure, with Pair Square Lab positioning itself as a foundational player in South Korea's emerging digital asset ecosystem, including participation in token securities exchanges and KRW stablecoin initiatives backed by major banks and corporations.
Strategic capital deployment is accelerating internationally. Mirae Asset Group founder and global strategy officer Park Hyeon-joo disclosed that high-profile investments in SpaceX and xAI have generated substantial returns, with accumulated operating profits and investment exits over the next five years estimated at approximately $20 billion. These gains are earmarked for aggressive overseas mergers and acquisitions across Japan, Australia, and other advanced financial markets, positioning the group for what Park characterizes as a "second founding" driven by AI-driven market transformation. The shareholder returns policy reflects confidence in this strategy, with the company deploying a record 634.7 billion won to shareholders in 2025 (174.2 billion won in cash dividends, 290.3 billion won in stock dividends, and 170.2 billion won in treasury share cancellations), representing approximately 40% of net income—the highest payout ratio on record.
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