South Korea's central bank vows to 'actively participate' in stablecoin legislation development

The Bank of Korea said it will "actively participate" in the country's efforts to build a regulatory framework for stablecoins in order to mitigate potential monetary and financial risks.

"Unlike general virtual assets, stablecoins inherently possess characteristics of a payment measure," the BOK said in a payment systems report on Monday. "If their usage expands, they could … undermine the effectiveness of monetary policies."

The central bank also pointed out that stablecoins could transmit risks from crypto-related crises to the traditional financial market, threatening financial stability and the integrity of payment and settlement systems.

"The [Bank of Korea] intends to present its views on the desirable direction of stablecoin regulation from a central bank perspective," the bank said.

South Korea is currently developing a follow-up legal framework to its inaugural crypto law, which took effect in July 2024 and focuses heavily on protecting crypto investors by setting stricter requirements for exchanges.

The second bill is set to establish a regulatory framework for stablecoins and provide clearer classifications for crypto service providers, along with rules for more transparent token listings and disclosures, the BOK said in its report.

South Korea's Financial Services Commission previously announced that it would start drafting the legislation in the second half of this year.

The BOK report suggested that the country had 18.25 million crypto investors as of December 2024, which is more than 35% of its current total population. The top five exchanges in South Korea see an average daily trading volume of around $12.1 billion.

In a parallel effort, the BOK is testing its central bank digital currency with participation from citizens, retail shops and local banks to determine its commercial feasibility. Local news outlets reported that the central bank's planned second-stage trial, set for October, will explore peer-to-peer transfers of the CBDC.