South Korea's Stablecoin Blueprint: Strategic Moves Ahead of Digital Asset Act

South Korea is laying out a comprehensive roadmap for stablecoin regulation, clearing the path for the Digital Asset Basic Act.

The Digital Asset Basic Act and Stablecoin Strategy

The act aims to consolidate issuance, disclosure, and market rules for stablecoins into a single framework. Still under legislative debate, the draft serves as a bridge to reconcile divergent bills.

Regulatory Gaps and Proposed Remedies

The report identifies four key recommendations to close existing gaps and bring certainty to the sector:

■2024 interim licensing guidance for stablecoin regulation is proposed.

■Preserve majority bank ownership while granting operational flexibility to fintech and non‑bank firms.

■Adopt a phased rollout modeled on the EU Markets in Crypto‑Assets (MiCA) regulation.

■A $15 billion market potential for foreign‑issued stablecoins.

Market Impact and International Alignment

Analysts argue that this step will make South Korea’s crypto ecosystem more competitive both domestically and globally. Aligning with Europe’s regulatory model could attract foreign capital.

Key Players and Anticipated Developments

Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Dogeol suggests banks retain majority stakes while fintech firms run operations, whereas Kim Hyobong of Bae, Kim & Lee stresses the need to resolve licensing uncertainty. In the coming months, interim licensing guidelines are expected to be released, and stablecoin issuance rules will become clearer.

Market participants anticipate that this interim measure will accelerate sector‑specific integrations such as K‑Pop, supporting a projected 30% growth in the domestic stablecoin ecosystem. Nonetheless, licensing ambiguity remains a risk factor.