韩国

South Korea's cryptocurrency ETF launch within the year is unlikely: due to a shift in policy focus, market expectations have turned to 2026

According to a report by Korean media on December 8, the plan for the South Korean financial regulator to approve cryptocurrency spot ETF trading within the year has basically fallen through. This delay is mainly due to the failure to complete the necessary amendments to the Capital Markets Act, which are essential for advancing the plan, thus hindering the expected compliant investment channel.

It is understood that there are currently four legal amendment proposals directly related to the approval of cryptocurrency spot ETFs that are still pending.

The core reason for this situation lies in the dispersion of policy resources, the ongoing institutional restructuring within the South Korean Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, as well as the government's main focus on boosting the traditional stock market and other priority economic agendas.

These factors collectively place the institutionalization process of crypto assets in a relatively lower position in the decision-making priorities.

This policy shift contrasts with the proactive stance exhibited by the new government earlier this year. At that time, the Financial Services Commission clearly listed "building a digital asset ecosystem" as a national agenda and announced a detailed roadmap aimed at launching cryptocurrency spot ETFs in the second half of 2025.

Analysts point out that, given that this issue has ultimately not been included in the government's highest priority strategic focus, combined with the vast number of legal provisions that need to be reviewed and amended, the advancement process is fraught with challenges and may ultimately lead to a failure of the plan within the year.

With the potential failure of the year-end target, the market's focus has shifted to 2026. Whether the approval of South Korea's cryptocurrency ETF can be obtained on schedule will depend on the position of the new regulatory team after the completion of institutional restructuring and whether the relevant legal amendments can gain sufficient political momentum and priority in the new year’s parliamentary review.

For South Korea's large cryptocurrency asset holding community and the demand of the world's second-largest cryptocurrency trading market, this delay means that institutional investors still cannot participate in cryptocurrency investment conveniently and compliantly through traditional financial institutions.

In summary, in financial innovations like cryptocurrency spot ETFs that completely rely on policy promotion, the clarity of the legal regulatory framework and the priority of the issue in the government's agenda are key to determining whether the project can be successfully implemented.

#韩国 #加密货币ETF

Will South Korea Become the Cryptocurrency Hub of Asia?

With its technological strength, market activity, and gradually improving regulatory framework, South Korea has the potential to become one of the important hubs for cryptocurrency in Asia.

👉 Advantages of South Korea

Gradually Clear Regulations

The South Korean financial regulatory authorities have established clear regulations for cryptocurrency exchanges and blockchain businesses, such as requiring exchanges to register and implement strict KYC/AML systems. This protects individual investors and provides a relatively safe market environment for institutional investors.

Strong Technology and Financial Infrastructure

South Korea is known for its high-speed internet and mature fintech ecosystem. Blockchain research is active, and innovative businesses such as crypto payments, NFTs, and smart contracts are quickly implemented. Meanwhile, young investors have a high acceptance of crypto assets, and the market is very active, forming a natural foundation for consumption and investment.

Active Layout of Enterprises and Institutions

Large technology companies like Samsung, LG, and Kakao are all involved in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space, providing technological and resource support for industry development. Additionally, the openness of South Korean exchanges to international investors is gradually increasing, which helps attract overseas capital.

👉 Challenges Faced

Strict Regulations and Tax Policies

Although regulations are clear, restrictions on ICOs, leveraged trading, and anonymous accounts remain strict. At the same time, the tax policy on crypto income is unstable, which may limit the influx of some speculative funds.

Limited Market Size

With a population of about 52 million, although the market is active, compared to larger markets like China, Japan, and India, the overall capital and trading scale remain limited. To truly become a global center, it still needs to deepen its capital.

Intense International Competition

Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong have rich experience in financial innovation and cryptocurrency trading. If South Korea wants to stand out globally, it needs to continuously break through in liquidity, innovative financial products, and international recognition.

👉 Future Outlook

South Korea is expected to become a regional center for cryptocurrency trading and blockchain innovation in Asia, but to become a cryptocurrency center in Asia and even globally, it still needs to:

Further optimize regulatory policies and increase policy flexibility

Attract more international institutions and capital

Create a cross-border trading and financial innovation ecosystem to increase market depth and liquidity
#韩国 #加密货币

🇰🇷 The number of cryptocurrency investors in South Korea has surged, and market volatility has intensified!

The latest report from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of South Korea shows that the number of cryptocurrency investors in the first half of 2024 surged by 21%, with the total number of domestic investors reaching 7.78 million. This growth is largely attributed to the explosive increase in Bitcoin's value.

Meanwhile, the average daily trading volume in South Korea's virtual asset market also grew by 67%, reaching a record 60 trillion won (4.3 billion USD). In the first half of 2024 alone, the total valuation of this market increased by 27%, reaching 55.3 trillion won (about 40 billion USD).

Male investors account for 68% of the country's cryptocurrency users, particularly men in their thirties who are especially active in the market. Although women make up a smaller proportion of the investor group, their contribution to market growth is gradually increasing.

While most investors in South Korea (about 67% of them) hold cryptocurrencies worth less than 500,000 won (362 USD), there are also 1.3% of investors holding over 100 million won, and 0.03% of high-net-worth individuals holding over 1 billion won in crypto assets.

The report shows that Bitcoin investors in South Korea rank first, followed by ETH, XRP, DOGE, and ETC. At the same time, South Korea plays a key role in global cryptocurrency trading, with its active trading driving global trading volumes to new highs.

The South Korean stock market, on the other hand, has shown high price volatility. The maximum drawdown (MDD) of the South Korean stock market (i.e., the magnitude of price drop from its peak) has increased from 62% in the same period last year to the current 70%.

In contrast, the MDD of the main South Korean index KOSPI during the same period was only 14%. This increase in volatility also highlights the fragility of the South Korean stock market, prompting investors to remain vigilant regarding market dynamics.

The FIU points out that the inflow of funds into U.S. Bitcoin ETFs and presidential candidates' policy positions on digital assets are key factors influencing price fluctuations, and reminds investors to act cautiously amid market volatility.

In summary, although South Korea's cryptocurrency market achieved significant growth in the first half of 2024, this prosperity is also accompanied by high risks and high volatility, requiring investors to manage risks effectively while selecting investment targets and pursuing profits.

#韩国 #加密货币市场 #比特币

$DOGE October interest rate cut, the market trend is ongoing, what should be the next market layout?
🐶

🔥Korean cryptocurrency circle earthquake!
Fake delisting rumors lead to panic selling,
BNB airdrops bring warmth, Hong Kong unlicensed exchanges face zero tolerance, Bitcoin ETF hype cools down!
📢 "Doomsday rumors" appear in Korean cryptocurrency circle! Fake news says that the Korean Ministry of Finance will conduct quarterly reviews of 600 virtual assets and suspend non-compliant token transactions, which scared half of the token prices on exchanges such as Upbit to plummet by 10%-20%! 😱 Investors seemed to be frightened by the story of "the wolf is coming" and sold off one after another, but it turned out to be a false alarm. The Financial Supervisory Agency quickly clarified: We do not directly review tokens, don't panic!
🚀 In this wave of selling, Binance brought warmth to BNB holders! 💖 Launched the BNB HODLer Airdrops event to reward loyal users who hold BNB for a long time. He Yi, the co-founder, announced on social media: "Users holding BNB will benefit, and your loyalty will be rewarded!" It seems that Binance is telling investors with practical actions: Don't be afraid, I'm here!
💸 At the same time, Hong Kong's zero-tolerance policy on unlicensed crypto exchanges also shocked the market! 😲 Last year, two unlicensed exchanges went bankrupt and investors suffered heavy losses. This year, Hong Kong officially kicked out all unlicensed exchanges and required them to stop operating immediately. Regulators warned: Violating regulations is a crime, and we will crack down on it!
📉 Globally, the hype of Bitcoin ETFs also seems to have cooled down. 🌡️ Australia's first Bitcoin ETF had a first-day trading volume of only $1.3 million, far below market expectations. Although Hong Kong's Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs had a first-day trading volume of $12 million, it was just a drop in the bucket compared to the billions of dollars in the US market. Now, everyone's eyes are on the US Ethereum ETFs, which will be launched on July 2. However, even in the US market, investors have begun to withdraw assets from Bitcoin ETFs.

#韩国 #BNB金鏟子 #香港加密货币ETF #比特币etf #BTC走势分析 $USDC
$SOL $ETH

🇰🇷 Chairman of the Korea Exchange calls for: Approval of cryptocurrency ETFs is urgent!

Jeong Eun-bo, chairman of the Korea Exchange, recently called for South Korea to approve cryptocurrency ETFs as soon as possible to cope with the current sluggish stock market. He stressed that reform of the financial sector is key to enhancing the country's competitiveness. As the world's third largest cryptocurrency trading country, South Korea should seize opportunities and create new market value.

In his last media interview, Jeong Eun-bo, chairman of the Korea Exchange, bluntly pointed out that the Korean stock market is facing severe challenges. In the second half of 2024, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell sharply by 15%, causing retail investors to withdraw. In addition, the market is plagued by problems such as "unfair trading" and "zombie companies".

Jeong warned that without timely reforms, South Korea's financial markets will lag far behind other countries. He also stressed that the United States has made significant progress in cryptocurrency ETFs, so domestic regulators should approve cryptocurrency ETFs as soon as possible to avoid the Korean market falling further behind the global trend.

Jeong also mentioned that South Korea was somewhat allergic to cryptocurrency ETFs before, but now the situation in the United States has made Korean regulators begin to consider changes. Now, the Financial Supervisory Service of South Korea is reviewing the ban and has set up a digital asset advisory group. Meanwhile, as recently as January, the Korea Exchange was exploring the potential for approving a cryptocurrency ETF to diversify its market.

Seo Yoo-seok, chairman of the Korea Financial Investment Association (Kofia), also voiced his support, saying that the country should follow the example of the United States and approve relevant investment products to improve market transparency and attract more institutional investors to continue to maintain its leading position in the digital asset field.

In summary, the Korea Stock Exchange seems to be serious about the cryptocurrency ETF this time. If approved, it may bring new development opportunities to the market. Do you think South Korea can proceed smoothly this time? See the comments section!

#加密货币ETF #韩国 #金融改革 #市场竞争力 #数字资产

South Korea is really strong. Upbit will list BIGTIME and AKT, which will instantly increase by 20 points. Any abnormal increase will be supported by news. #BigTime #韩国 #大盘走势

#韩国
#股市
The Korean market has truly collapsed this time.

Recently, the trading volume of cryptocurrency exchanges has hit a new low, with all funds rushing to the stock market, and as a result, the stock market couldn't hold up either — the Korean Composite Index plummeted nearly 5% this morning, directly triggering a circuit breaker. Authorities urgently halted programmatic sell orders and restricted short selling.

This is the first time this year that the Korean stock market has experienced such a severe decline, which completely indicates — the confidence of retail investors has collapsed.