South Korea to Lift Ban on Bitcoin Spot ETFs Within the Year, Also to Establish Stablecoin Regulation Law

According to South Korean media reports on the 9th, the South Korean government intends to lift the ban on cryptocurrency spot Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) within 2026. Additionally, the government is progressing with the second phase of legislation that includes a regulatory framework for stablecoins. As per the '2026 Economic Growth Strategy' announced by the Financial Services Commission on the 5th, considering that Bitcoin (BTC) spot ETFs are already actively traded in other countries like the USA and Hong Kong, plans are in place to lift the ban on cryptocurrency spot ETFs this year. Until now, cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have not been recognized as underlying assets for ETFs in South Korea, making spot ETF trading impossible.