South Korea to open up corporate crypto purchases! Limited to the top 20 cryptocurrencies, with an annual investment cap of 5% of the company's equity.

South Korea’s FSC plans to lift the ban on corporate crypto investments, setting a 5% cap and restricting to the top 20 cryptocurrencies, while aligning with the “Digital Asset Basic Act,” marking a shift from closed regulation to a systematic open approach.

The nine-year “Corporate Cryptocurrency Investment Ban” in South Korea is about to come to an end. According to reports, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) is drafting regulatory guidelines for corporate investments in cryptocurrencies, with an expected investment cap of 5%, symbolizing South Korea’s move from strict suppression to orderly, institutionalized openness.

According to the Seoul Economic Daily, the FSC has preliminarily completed trading guidelines for cryptocurrencies targeting listed companies and professional investors, with the final version expected to be released in January or February this year. If progress goes smoothly, South Korean companies could legally include cryptocurrencies on their balance sheets within this year.

To prevent excessive corporate speculation leading to financial risks, this draft sets strict “firewall” measures:

• Investment Cap: Companies and professional investors can allocate up to 5% of their shareholder equity (capital from shareholders) annually to purchase cryptocurrencies.
• Investment Scope: Currently limited to the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

Stablecoin controversy: Whether USD-pegged stablecoins like $USDT, $USDC , etc., will be included in the legal purchase list is still under discussion.

Presto Research Associate Min Jung pointed out: “This will inject considerable liquidity into the market, but since the limit is on the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market cap, funds are expected to flow mainly into Bitcoin and Ethereum, with limited benefits for competing coins.”

This new guideline continues the recent trend of the FSC gradually lifting the practical ban on “institutions trading crypto assets.” As early as mid-2025, South Korea already permitted non-profit organizations and cryptocurrency exchanges to sell their holdings; regulators also announced plans to open trading of cryptocurrencies to listed companies and professional investors in the second half of 2025.

To prevent large transactions from causing market volatility, the new guidelines will also include mechanisms such as “order splitting” and “price limits.” Min Jung stated: “Although the 5% limit seems conservative, for companies taking their first steps, initial efforts will likely be cautious, so it doesn’t constitute a substantial obstacle.”

The most closely watched focus among Korean crypto circles and investors is the upcoming “Digital Asset Basic Act,” expected to be introduced in the first quarter of this year. Seen as a “second-phase comprehensive regulation,” this legislation will set the tone for key policies, including the issuance and trading regulations of cryptocurrency spot ETFs, and will establish a regulatory framework for the Korean won stablecoin.

• This article is reprinted with permission from: 《Block Talk》
• Original title: 《South Korea to Open “Corporate Coin Buying”! Annual Investment Cap 5%, Limited to Top 20 Coins》
• Original author: Block Sister MEL