South Korea Ends 9-Year Corporate Crypto Ban Under Strict New Rules

Key takeaways

South Korea is ending a nine-year ban on corporate crypto trading, allowing listed entities and professional investment companies to reenter the market under a regulated framework.

Corporate participation will be tightly controlled, with investments capped at 5% of annual equity capital and limited to the top 20 cryptocurrencies traded on regulated domestic exchanges.

Institutional entry may gradually improve liquidity and market structure, but strict limits mean large capital inflows from corporate treasuries are unlikely in the short term.

Compared with the US, the EU, Japan and Hong Kong, South Korea is taking a more cautious path by allowing access while restricting scale to manage systemic and reputational risks.

After a nine-year break, South Korea is set to reintegrate corporations into its cryptocurrency market. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) has established new protocols allowing listed entities and professional firms to resume trading, effectively terminating the 2017 prohibition.

This move is part of the government’s ambitious “2026 Economic Growth Strategy,” which aims to transform the nation into a premier digital hub by introducing stablecoin laws and paving the way for spot crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

This article explores what led to the ban on corporate trading in South Korea, what the new guidelines facilitate and how this step will transform South Korea’s crypto market. It also examines the risks South Korean regulators are confronting and compares South Korea’s corporate crypto trading policy with those of other countries.

Why corporate crypto trading was banned in South Korea

In 2017, South Korea prohibited institutional involvement in crypto markets due to a surge in retail speculation. Regulators were concerned about the risks of money laundering, market manipulation and threats to financial stability. Authorities restricted corporations and professional investors from participating while allowing retail crypto trading under stringent compliance requirements.

This policy distinctly shaped South Korea’s crypto market. Retail investors eventually dominated trading activity, whereas local institutions remained largely excluded from a rapidly expanding asset class. Gradually, this situation also drove capital flows abroad, with Korean investors and companies pursuing exposure via overseas exchanges and foreign investment products.

On the other hand, developed markets like the US progressively incorporated institutional capital into crypto through regulated futures, custody solutions and, ultimately, spot ETFs. By 2024, institutional participation represented the bulk of trading volumes on many leading global platforms.

Did you know? In 2018, South Korean banks issued special “real-name account” partnerships with exchanges, making them legally responsible for monitoring crypto transactions tied to customer identities.

What South Korea’s new corporate crypto rules allow

According to new guidelines issued by the Financial Services Commission (FSC), approximately 3,500 organizations are set to gain permission for crypto trading. This group encompasses publicly traded companies along with duly registered professional investment firms.

To begin with, corporate allocations to cryptocurrencies will be limited to no more than 5% of a company’s yearly equity capital. The purpose of this ceiling is to prevent businesses from exposing their balance sheets to undue levels of risk, while authorities monitor the broader implications of institutional involvement on overall market stability.

Permissible investments are confined exclusively to the 20 cryptocurrencies with the highest market capitalization. These cryptocurrencies will be available for trading on South Korea’s five principal regulated crypto exchanges. This channels corporate activity toward major, highly liquid cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), thereby sidelining the vast majority of smaller-cap or especially volatile digital assets.

The status of stablecoins such as Tether’s USDt (USDT) within South Korea’s regulatory framework is still under evaluation. Officials have indicated that stablecoins could undergo a distinct review process. Additional legislation may be introduced concerning payment systems and financial market infrastructure.

Crypto exchanges will need to implement safeguards for institutional orders, including mechanisms such as staggered trade execution and caps on individual order sizes. These legal requirements are intended to reduce abrupt price fluctuations and prevent large orders from disrupting thin order books.

Did you know? Korea’s National Pension Service, one of the world’s largest public pension funds, has invested in blockchain-related companies but has so far avoided holding cryptocurrencies directly.

How this fits into South Korea’s broader crypto strategy

The guidelines for corporate cryptocurrency trading in South Korea are not an isolated change. Instead, they form part of a broader regulatory overhaul that includes the upcoming Digital Asset Basic Act, which the National Assembly is scheduled to present in the early months of 2026.

This proposed law aims to consolidate the currently fragmented crypto regulations. It will address key areas such as exchange oversight, token issuance, custody, market conduct and investor protection. Policymakers are examining possible frameworks for stablecoins pegged to the Korean won and regulated spot cryptocurrency ETFs. These steps will further integrate digital assets into traditional financial markets.

These initiatives suggest a shift from crisis-driven restrictions toward structured market participation under formal regulatory supervision.

How corporate access will be transforming South Korea’s crypto market

South Korea’s decision to allow limited corporate participation in cryptocurrency markets is a positive step toward greater institutional integration. This change, along with the upcoming broader regulations, is likely to reshape the country’s crypto landscape over time.

Institutional liquidity and market structure

Enabling corporate participation will transform the dynamics of Korea’s cryptocurrency market. Institutional traders generally operate with longer investment periods, diversified strategies and professional risk management systems. Their arrival may enhance liquidity, narrow bid-ask spreads and reduce the dominance of short-term retail trading activity.

However, the 5% investment limit restricts the volume of funds that can enter crypto from company treasuries in the short term. As a result, the market impact may be gradual rather than immediate.

Treasury strategies and business innovation

In other jurisdictions, various companies have implemented strategies for holding digital assets in their treasuries. They use Bitcoin or similar assets as long-term balance sheet holdings. For instance, Japan’s Metaplanet has drawn worldwide interest by steadily increasing its Bitcoin holdings to build corporate value.

Industry participants in South Korea argue that a stringent investment limit may prevent diverse business models from emerging. Critics say companies should have the freedom to determine their own risk exposure within standard corporate governance and disclosure rules instead of dealing with crypto-specific investment restrictions.

Domestic financial products

Institutional participation in the crypto market will help create new types of financial instruments. These might include cryptocurrency ETFs, structured notes and custody services. For banks and asset managers, corporate trading demand could justify further investment in digital asset infrastructure.

This development could improve South Korea’s ability to compete with other financial centers in Asia, such as Hong Kong and Singapore. These hubs are actively courting digital asset firms and institutional investors.

Did you know? Some Korean conglomerates already use blockchain for supply chain tracking and digital certificates, meaning corporate exposure to distributed ledger technology predates financial crypto investments.

Comparing South Korea’s corporate crypto policy with other countries

South Korea’s cautious approach to allowing corporate crypto participation differs from the prevailing policies in major markets. In the US and parts of Europe, there are no specific percentage caps on corporate crypto holdings. However, businesses must still follow accounting rules, disclosure requirements and fiduciary responsibilities.

Japan and Hong Kong also allow institutional involvement without imposing fixed caps on balance sheet exposure. Instead, they rely on licensing frameworks, custody regulations and rules governing proper market conduct.

South Korea’s framework reflects a more cautious regulatory stance. It opens the door to crypto assets for corporations while restricting the scale of participation until authorities build greater confidence in the market’s stability.

Risks South Korean regulators are confronting

From the FSC’s viewpoint, the new framework balances market growth with the need to maintain financial stability. The risks that continue to concern regulators include:

Volatility risk, which could harm corporate balance sheets and weaken investor confidence

Operational risk, such as failures in custody arrangements or disruptions at crypto exchanges

Reputational risk, which arises if companies experience significant losses from speculative crypto trading.

By placing limits on the types of assets allowed and the size of investments, regulators aim to contain systemic exposure while building regulatory experience with institutional crypto participation.

What happens next?

The FSC is expected to release the final version of the guidelines in January or February 2026. Its implementation will be coordinated alongside the Digital Asset Basic Act later in the year. Corporate crypto trading may begin before the end of the year, provided that the legislative schedule stays on course.

Future adjustments may occur if market conditions remain stable and compliance mechanisms demonstrate reliability. Industry associations are likely to push for higher investment limits and a wider range of eligible assets once this initial stage has been completed.

Balancing financial stability with institutional innovation

Lifting the long-standing ban on corporate crypto trading participation represents a significant change in South Korea’s approach to digital assets. After nearly a decade of retail-only participation, institutions are finally being allowed into the domestic South Korean market, though under tight constraints.

Whether this cautious opening evolves into full institutional integration will hinge on market performance, how companies manage risk and how effectively regulators enforce safeguards. It is evident, however, that South Korea no longer views corporate crypto participation as inherently incompatible with financial stability but rather as an activity that can be managed within a structured regulatory framework.