South Korea’s Regulator to Release Crypto Investment Guidelines by Q3 2025
On March 12, 2025, South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) announced plans to introduce comprehensive investment guidelines by Q3 2025, aimed at regulating institutional participation in the cryptocurrency market. The guidelines will regulate digital asset investments by institutional investors, public companies, and non-profit organizations, fostering market stability.
South Korea’s FSC Plans Phased Rollout of Crypto Investment Guidelines
According to the announcement made during a meeting with local crypto industry experts on Wednesday, the FSC emphasized its commitment to aligning South Korea’s crypto policies with global financial standards. The FSC has outlined a phased approach for these guidelines, beginning implementation by Q3 2025.
Guidelines for non-profit organizations and crypto exchanges will be introduced earlier, targeting April 2025. This follows the regulator’s February roadmap, which proposed a gradual corporate entry into the crypto market. FSC Vice Chairman Kim So-young highlighted that institutional participation is ‘about changing practices, not just laws,’ emphasizing the importance of best practices for market integrity. The new regulations will enhance South Korea’s anti-money laundering (AML) framework, particularly as the FSC urges local banks and exchanges to implement stricter cybersecurity and compliance measures.
Under existing rules, users of crypto exchanges must verify their identity through real-name bank accounts. Authorities, including prosecutors, the National Tax Service, and Korea Customs, were granted access to crypto accounts in November 2024 for tax enforcement and asset confiscation. The upcoming rules will extend this regulated access to financial institutions and non-profits.
South Korea’s Evolving Crypto Regulations
The FSC is concurrently developing the second phase of its cryptocurrency regulation framework to address stablecoins and enhanced oversight of crypto firms. The initial phase, introduced in 2024, laid the foundation for market-wide compliance measures. On February 13, the FSC reaffirmed its commitment to a structured approach in integrating corporate entities into the digital asset sector. The regulator seeks to mitigate financial risks by allowing phased entry while fostering innovation.
Institutional Crypto Participation Aims to Reduce Market Volatility in South Korea
As of November 2024, South Korea had one of the world’s largest crypto-trading populations, with approximately 15.6 million individuals—nearly 30% of its citizens—actively trading digital assets. Despite this high level of retail investor participation, market fluctuations have remained a concern. Experts anticipate that increased institutional investment will bring greater stability.
Historical trends between 2018 and 2021 indicate that institutional involvement in crypto markets reduced volatility. With South Korea’s ambitious regulatory roadmap set to unfold through 2025, the question remains: Will institutional investment effectively tame the volatility that has characterized the cryptocurrency market so far? Observers and stakeholders will be closely watching whether the FSC’s phased guidelines can usher in a new era of stability or if the complexities inherent in digital assets will require even more innovative approaches in the future.
