The Korea Financial Services Commission requires all cryptocurrency exchanges to set up a system to verify assets every 5 minutes, and to complete it by the end of May. It found that some exchanges’ verification frequency is insufficient and that there are defects in their trading circuit breaker mechanisms; all exchanges are required to publish their asset balances and submit to audits. The regulatory measures stem from an operational mistake at an exchange in February.

South Korean regulators are pushing for a legal amendment to limit the shareholding ratio of major shareholders of cryptocurrency exchanges. According to the proposal, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) plans to conduct a qualification review of major shareholders of virtual asset service providers (VASPs), proposing to set a shareholding cap of 15% to 20% to avoid conflicts of interest. This move aims to enhance market transparency and strengthen regulation of exchange operations. The proposal has now been submitted to Congress for consideration. （DLNews）

Entering 2026, South Korea's cryptocurrency regulation signals a key shift again. Several Korean media outlets disclosed that the Korea Financial Services Commission (FSC) is studying a new regulation that plans to set the maximum investment ratio of enterprises in cryptocurrencies at 5% of equity capital, aiming to guide institutional entry while controlling systemic risk. According to the Seoul Economic Daily, the FSC has developed cryptocurrency trading guidelines for listed companies and professional investors, with the final version expected to be announced as early as January to February 2026. The report also indicated that some enterprise-level trading may officially commence within 2026, marking the start of practical operations for institutional crypto trading in South Korea.

BlockBeats News, January 12 — According to Be in Crypto, the Korea Financial Services Commission (FSC) has officially approved listed companies and professional investors to invest up to 5% of their capital annually in the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, ending the ban that has been in place since 2017. Approximately 3,500 eligible entities will be permitted to enter the market.

The legislative process for stablecoin regulation in South Korea has experienced a noticeable slowdown. Several media outlets reported that due to serious disagreements among regulatory agencies on the core issue of "which entities are qualified to issue stablecoins," the "Digital Asset Basic Act" has been postponed for review until next year. This bill is seen as a key step for South Korea to build a comprehensive cryptocurrency regulatory framework, especially directly affecting the development path of the Korean won stablecoin. According to a draft proposed by the Korea Financial Services Commission (FSC), stablecoin issuers are required to allocate all reserve assets to bank deposits or government bonds, and 100% of the outstanding reserve assets must be managed by compliant custodians such as banks to reduce systemic risks caused by issuer bankruptcy to investors. Meanwhile, digital asset service providers will be required to fulfill obligations similar to traditional financial institutions, including information disclosure, advertising compliance, and service terms. In the event of hacking attacks or system failures, they may also bear compensation liabilities.

BlockBeats News, December 14 — According to South Korean media Newsis, earlier this month, South Korea’s ruling party called on various ministries and the Financial Services Commission (FSC) to submit a regulation bill for the Korean won stablecoin by December 10, but the FSC failed to submit the bill on time. An FSC spokesperson stated that the FSC needs more time to coordinate positions with relevant agencies; rather than rushing to complete the proposal before the deadline, it would be better to announce its proposal simultaneously with submitting the bill to the National Assembly. The FSC said this move is to protect the public’s right to know about this matter.