• South Korea is preparing to implement tough cryptocurrency regulations, which include conditions for listing and delisting virtual assets for investor protection.

• The rules are meant to introduce self-regulation in the cryptocurrency exchanges before the enactment of the Virtual Asset User Protection Act in July.

South Korea’s financial regulators are poised to introduce protocols for terminating the trading of certain cryptocurrencies, marking a significant move towards regulatory oversight in the crypto market. The forthcoming “Best Practices for Compliance with the Virtual Asset User Protection Act” is expected to outline criteria for listing virtual assets and provide directives on the decision-making process for continuing the trading of already listed virtual assets. 

An insider within the South Korean Financial Supervisory Service disclosed that the forthcoming guidelines will cover the standards for listing virtual assets. This establishes the standards for virtual asset issuance quantity, distribution quantity, and transaction support. In addition, steps like banning linking virtual assets with a hacking record will also be reviewed. The rule will also require the submission of whitepapers and technical manuals in Korean to overseas virtual assets, thereby increasing transparency and accountability in the crypto market.

Focus on Self-Regulation and Compliance

In anticipation of the enactment of the Virtual Asset User Protection Act in July, South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service is drafting guidelines to encourage self-regulation among crypto exchanges. These guidelines aim to complement regulatory efforts by fostering responsible conduct within the industry.

Efforts to establish self-regulatory measures, including best practices and guidelines, reflect a proactive approach to address regulatory gaps and enhance market integrity. However, authorities are committed to addressing regulatory gaps and fortifying oversight mechanisms to ensure investor protection and market integrity.

However, these attempts have failed to regulate virtual asset issuers and distributors. An official of the Financial Supervisory Service admitted to the intrinsic shortcomings of the current regulatory environment. There have been criticisms of the current self-regulatory initiatives, including the Digital Asset Exchange Alliance (DAXA) common listing guidelines, as they are seen as ineffective in at ensuring compliance among the exchanges. The decision to introduce new best practices reflects a response to these criticisms and a commitment to strengthening regulatory oversight.

South Korea Amends Donations Act

This news come as South Korea’s Ministry of Public Administration recently amended the Donations Act, signaling a significant shift in the nation’s stance on cryptocurrency. The revision, announced on May 5th by Kyunghyang Shinmun, eliminates cryptocurrency as a valid form of donation. This decision aligns with South Korea’s ongoing efforts to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets.

The amendment follows wider debates of the South Korean government regarding the regulation of cryptocurrencies and digital assets among other issues. According to the Digital Asset Basic Act discussions, which tackle problems like virtual currency anonymity and money laundering, are among the purview. South Korea has been at the forefront of the campaign for transparency in the digital asset industry, obliging officials to declare their cryptocurrency assets.

Bitcoin Kimchi Premium, which evaluates the price gap between Bitcoin on the exchanges in South Korea and globally, has been on a continuous decline during the last four weeks. Based on the data from CryptoQuant, the premium decreased by 1.54% in the past, reflecting the change in the pricing dynamics in the South Korean cryptocurrency market.

This decline in the Kimchi Premium coincides with a notable decrease in trading volumes on South Korea’s top five cryptocurrency exchanges: Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax.