- Companies will be limited to investing up to 5% of their equity capital.
- Only top market-cap tokens listed on major regulated exchanges will qualify.
- Inclusion of stablecoins remains under regulatory discussion.
South Korea is preparing to reopen its digital asset market to corporate capital, marking a major shift after nearly a decade of strict restrictions.
Financial regulators are updating longstanding rules that have banned companies from owning crypto assets since 2017, a period marked by concerns over money laundering and market instability.
The proposed changes would allow publicly listed companies and professional investors to allocate a limited portion of their balance sheets to cryptocurrencies.
This represents a policy recalibration as Seoul seeks to strengthen its digital finance ecosystem while keeping risks contained through robust safeguards.
Corporate access framework
According to a Financial Services Commission report, corporate entities would be permitted to invest up to 5% of their equity capital in crypto assets.
The disclosure was reported by Seoul Economic Daily.
Regulators are expected to publish the final version of the guidelines in January or February.
Once implemented, companies will be able to conduct virtual asset transactions for investment and financial purposes, effectively ending a nine-year ban.
The FSC first proposed a phased easing of corporate crypto rules in February 2025 and shared the latest draft with its crypto working group on January 6.
The approach favors gradual opening rather than full liberalization.
Tight asset and venue limits
The planned framework sets clear boundaries on where and how companies can invest.
Corporate purchases will be restricted to the top 20 crypto assets by market capitalization, limiting exposure to the most liquid and widely traded tokens.
Transactions will also be limited to South Korea’s five largest regulated exchanges, strengthening oversight and compliance standards.
Whether dollar-pegged stablecoins will be included remains unresolved.
The report said regulators are still debating whether assets such as Tether’s USDT should be allowed under the new rules.
These conditions are designed to address the same financial-crime risks that prompted the original ban while recognizing that the domestic market has matured since 2017.
Expected market impact
Reopening corporate access could channel significant capital flows into crypto markets.
Seoul Economic Daily noted that the potential scale of investments could reach tens of trillions of won.
For example, the report highlighted internet giant Naver, which holds roughly 27 trillion won in equity.
Under the proposed cap, the company could theoretically deploy an amount equivalent to around 10,000 Bitcoin.
Beyond direct inflows, the change could alter corporate strategies.
Major South Korean firms have previously invested in digital assets abroad to avoid domestic restrictions.
Easing local rules may redirect that activity at home, supporting blockchain startups, digital asset custody services, and related infrastructure.
Broader digital currency strategy
The corporate crypto shift sits alongside a wider push on digital currencies.
The government has outlined plans to process 25% of national treasury transactions via a central bank digital currency by 2030 as part of its 2026 growth strategy.
Officials also plan to introduce a licensing regime for stablecoin issuers.
Under the proposal, issuers would be required to maintain 100% reserve backing and provide legally guaranteed redemption rights for users.
Taken together, these measures suggest South Korea aims to integrate crypto assets, stablecoins, and a CBDC within a single regulatory framework rather than treating them as isolated experiments.