South Korea Plans Stablecoin Rules and Digital Asset ETFs in 2026

The South Korean government plans to introduce a second-phase digital asset bill this year, which will establish a regulatory framework for stablecoins.

Alongside this, authorities aim to set rules for cross-border stablecoin transactions and push for the introduction of spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for digital assets within 2026.

According to News1 Korea, the government outlined these measures on 5 January as part of its “2026 Economic Growth Strategy.”

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) is the primary authority responsible for implementing the legislation.

The bill’s second phase will require issuers to obtain licences, meet capital requirements, manage reserve assets to cover at least 100% of issued stablecoins, and provide redemption rights.

The FSC and the Ministry of Economy and Finance will jointly develop rules governing cross-border stablecoin transfers.

The government also plans to allow spot ETFs for digital assets this year.

Previously, South Korea did not recognise cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin as eligible underlying assets for ETFs, preventing spot ETF trading.

Separately, authorities are considering the use of up to a quarter of national treasury funds as digital currency, or “deposit tokens,” by 2030.

Pilot projects will inform amendments to the Bank of Korea Act and the National Treasury Management Act, establishing a legal framework for blockchain-based payments and settlements.

Electronic wallets capable of handling payments in deposit tokens are also expected to be distributed for operational use.

Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Hong Kong, based on image by pablographix and simonend via Freepik

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