Catenaa, Monday, June 23, 2025-South Korea top financial regulator has submitted a detailed plan to approve spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs), signaling a possible end to the nation’s long-standing ban on such products by late 2025.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) presented the roadmap to the Presidential Committee on Policy Planning on Thursday. The proposal supports President Lee Jae Myung’s campaign pledge to legalize spot crypto ETFs and promote a Korean won-based stablecoin market.
The FSC had previously banned crypto ETFs citing financial instability and classifying digital assets as unsuitable for public trading. The new roadmap outlines phased preparations to enable crypto ETFs and regulatory frameworks for stablecoins tied to the won in the second half of this year.
The FSC emphasized that while the roadmap was submitted, details are not yet finalized. The commission also plans to allow institutional investors broader access to crypto trading and may extend the Korea Exchange’s trading hours from 6.5 to 12 hours as part of wider financial reforms.
President Lee’s agenda aims to help younger citizens build financial security through access to digital finance. At the end of 2024, South Koreans held over 104 trillion won ($75.7 billion) in crypto assets, highlighting the country’s deep retail engagement in digital markets.
South Korea joins a growing list of countries weighing regulatory pathways to bring crypto ETFs into the mainstream.
