The era of legal cryptocurrency purchase by Korean companies has arrived: the 9-year ban ends, and policy opening enters a new stage

The Korean cryptocurrency market is about to迎来 a historic turning point. The nine-year “ban on corporate cryptocurrency investment” has officially come to an end, marking Korea’s shift from strict regulation to an orderly, institutionalized opening. The Korea Financial Services Commission (FSC) has completed the draft guidelines for cryptocurrency trading for listed companies and professional investors, and the latest regulatory framework is expected to be officially launched in January or February of this year. If everything proceeds as planned, Korean companies will be able to legally include cryptocurrencies on their balance sheets by 2026.

End of Korea’s Long-Term Ban: From Strict Regulation to Orderly Opening

This policy shift represents a profound adjustment in Korea’s regulatory approach. Over the past nine years, Korea imposed strict restrictions on institutional investment in crypto assets, but this stance is now gradually loosening. As early as mid-2025, Korean financial authorities permitted non-profit organizations and cryptocurrency exchanges to sell their holdings of crypto assets. Subsequently, regulators announced that in the second half of 2025, listed companies and professional investors would be allowed to trade cryptocurrencies. Now, these phased policies have evolved into a systematic regulatory framework.

Five Pillars of Corporate Investment: Rules, Limits, and Risk Management

To prevent excessive speculation by companies leading to financial crises, FSC has set up multiple protective mechanisms in the new guidelines:

Investment Limit Restrictions
Companies and professional investors can allocate up to 5% of their equity capital annually for purchasing cryptocurrencies. This ratio may seem conservative, but for companies testing the waters early on, it is sufficient for reasonable allocation.

Scope of Investment Control
Currently, investment is limited to the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. This threshold aims to ensure that trading counterparts have sufficient liquidity and market maturity.

The Gray Area of Stablecoins
Whether USD stablecoins like USDT and USDC will be included in the legal list is still under discussion between government departments and industry players, and no conclusion has been reached.

Trading Mechanism Innovation
To prevent large transactions from causing market volatility, the new guidelines will incorporate market protection mechanisms such as “order splitting” and “price limits.”

Top 20 Market Cap Coins: Opportunities for Bitcoin and Ethereum

According to market data, Bitcoin’s circulating market cap reaches $1795.53B, and Ethereum’s circulating market cap reaches $363.40B, accounting for the vast majority of the top 20 coins’ market value. Min Jung, Associate Researcher at Presto Research, pointed out: “This policy will inject considerable liquidity into the market. However, since investment is limited to the top 20 coins by market cap, funds are expected to flow heavily into Bitcoin and Ethereum, with limited opportunities for other competing coins.”

This means that if Korean companies allocate according to the 5% cap, capital flow will show a clear “Matthew Effect”—the larger the market cap, the more funds attracted.

Korea’s Regulatory Roadmap: From Partial Opening to Full Regulation

The launch of this new guideline is not the end but a midpoint in Korea’s cryptocurrency regulation. The Korean crypto community and investors are most期待 the正式出台 of the “Digital Asset Basic Law,” which is expected to be introduced in the first quarter of 2026. This law, called the “Second-Stage Comprehensive Regulation,” will set the tone for a series of key policies, including the issuance and trading regulations of cryptocurrency spot ETFs and a comprehensive regulatory framework for the Korean won stablecoin.

Min Jung further analyzed: “Although the 5% investment limit appears cautious, for companies just taking their first steps, they will likely adopt a gradual trial approach initially. Therefore, this limit does not pose a substantial obstacle for most companies and instead provides a window for regulators to observe market reactions and gradually adjust policies.”

From Ban to Opening: The Deep Significance of Institutionalization

This series of policy adjustments reflects Korea’s proactive response in the global competition over cryptocurrency regulation. From a nine-year comprehensive ban to today’s orderly opening, Korea is seeking to find a balance between financial innovation and risk control. By setting up multiple protective layers such as investment limits, trading scope restrictions, and trading mechanism safeguards, Korea aims to create a “controlled opening”—attracting institutional capital inflows while preventing systemic risks.

The future implementation of the “Digital Asset Basic Law” will further determine Korea’s competitive position in the global cryptocurrency market and influence the regulatory policies of other Asian countries.