A significant regulatory process affecting the cryptocurrency market is beginning in South Korea. The South Korean National Assembly will begin substantive legislative discussions regarding cryptocurrency spot ETFs in February.
The discussions will focus on draft amendments to the Capital Markets Law that would create a legal framework for local financial institutions to issue and list crypto spot ETFs on exchanges.
The process is also receiving strong support from the regulatory side. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) has announced its support for the legislative changes and will implement the necessary regulatory revisions concurrently with the legislative work.
The South Korean government, in its “2026 Economic Growth Strategy” announced today, presented a comprehensive roadmap for the institutionalization of digital assets. With this strategy, cryptocurrency policies, which have so far been primarily addressed within a regulatory framework, appear to be shifting towards “recognizing institutional rights” and “promoting the sector.”
The most notable aspect of the plan is the implementation of crypto spot ETFs, which the market has long awaited. The government aims to introduce spot ETFs for major crypto assets, primarily Bitcoin. This step is expected to accelerate the entry of institutional investors into the market by increasing transaction ease.
This development marks the first concrete step taken in South Korea nearly two years after the US SEC approved Bitcoin spot ETFs. Market experts say the regulation could increase interest from institutional investors such as pension funds and large corporations.
Another critical topic on the country’s agenda is stablecoin regulation. The stablecoin regulatory system, central to the planned “two-stage legislative” process for virtual assets, will be finalized in the first quarter of the year. Accordingly, stablecoin issuances will be conducted under an authorization system, and only companies with sufficient capital strength will be allowed to enter the market.
To prevent a recurrence of previous collapses, issued stablecoins will be required to be backed by over 100% secured reserve assets. Furthermore, users’ rights to claim refunds will be legally protected. The government also plans to expand the use of blockchain-based commerce and international money transfers through regulations targeting cross-border transfers and transactions of stablecoins.
*This is not investment advice.
