Yo crypto fam, imagine this: After almost a decade of being sidelined, South Korea's big players are finally stepping onto the field! On Jan 12, 2026, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) officially lifted the 2017 corporate crypto investment ban. Listed companies and qualified pros can now allocate up to 5% of their equity capital each year into the top 20 cryptos by market cap – think BTC, ETH, and the heavy hitters – but only on Korea's five major regulated exchanges like Upbit and Bithumb.
Why now? It's all part of the government's "2026 Economic Growth Strategy" to modernize finance, bring back billions in offshore crypto flows (some estimates say $52B fled last year!), and keep pace with the US, Hong Kong, and Canada. Around 3,500 entities could qualify – giants like tech firms or funds might dip in cautiously at first.
Fresh twists: Final guidelines drop Jan/Feb 2026, with actual trading ramping up later in the year. Exchanges get safeguards like order limits to avoid wild swings. Stablecoins? Still under review – USDT might or might not make the cut. This isn't unlimited freedom like MicroStrategy's playbook, but it's a massive unlock for institutional cash in Asia's crypto hotspot.
X is lit with reactions – folks calling it a "game-changer" for adoption, with some predicting fresh BTC demand as corps build treasuries. Could this spark the next leg up?
Sources: BanklessTimes, CryptoTimes, FinanceFeeds, Cointelegraph, The Block, Wu Blockchain on X, and fresh posts buzzing today.
What do you think – is 5% too conservative, or just smart risk control? Will we see Korean firms stacking sats big time? Hit me with your takes or questions below – love hearing from you all!
Thanks for the read, keep stacking smart, legends. 🚀📈
