#SouthKoreaCryptoPolicy

South Korea continues to shape its crypto landscape through tighter regulations and phased institutional access. In July 2024, the Virtual Asset User Protection Act mandated strict rules: exchanges must hold 80% of user assets in cold wallets, obtain insurance, keep deposits in licensed banks, and comply with KYC/AML requirements . A two‑phase rollout in 2025 will allow nonprofits, universities, law enforcement, and later around 3,500 listed companies and professional investors to open real-name institutional accounts and trade crypto . Complementing this, cross-border virtual asset transactions will require business registration and monthly reporting to the Bank of Korea starting late 2025 .