Seoul: The antitrust regulator announced on Thursday its decision to add four more business groups to the list of conglomerates subject to increased oversight, including the cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) revealed that the number of conglomerates on the watchlist has increased to 92, which collectively have 3,301 affiliates under their control. This marks an increase from last year’s 88 groups with the same number of affiliates. Among the newly added groups is Bithumb, which has risen to 90th in terms of corporate size, largely due to a surge in virtual asset trading observed ahead of the U.S. presidential election last year.

The list also includes LIG, which has seen rapid growth in the defense sector. This growth is attributed to increased military spending amid escalating geopolitical tensions, as noted by the regulator.

In South Korea, conglomerates possessing assets of 5 trillion won (US$3.49 billion) or more are classified as “large corporations.” These corporations are mandated to publicly disclose details regarding interaffiliate transactions, their ownership structure, and key information on nonaffiliates.