South Korea crypto and CBDC developments

Timeline

1. 1 day ago

   [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

   NHN KCP and Shinhan Bank Join South Korea’s Project Hangang Phase 2 for CBDC Payments

   NHN KCP and Shinhan Bank join the Bank of Korea’s Project Hangang phase 2, testing deposit‑token payments in everyday merchants to advance CBDC commercialisation.

2. 6 days ago

   [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

   KG Inicis launches digital token payment infrastructure in South Korea

   KG Inicis is building an API to let Korean merchants accept the Bank of Korea’s CBDC‑based deposit token, while major banks prepare pilot tests using existing card and payment‑gateway networks to expand its use

3. 6 days ago

   [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

   South Korea Advances Blockchain Finance with Tokenized Bond Pilot and Deposit‑Token Payment Project

   South Korea set 2027 to pilot tokenized sovereign bonds and launched a deposit‑token payment project, aiming to digitise state assets and cut merchant payment costs.

4. 8 days ago

   [TECHNOLOGY] 6 sources

   South Korea's Bank of Korea moves to launch CBDC‑based deposit token pilot in September

   South Korea’s Bank of Korea is set to start Phase 2 of its Project Hangang CBDC pilot in September, expanding bank participation, adding biometric payments and testing token‑based government subsidies.

5. 19 days ago

   [BUSINESS] 4 sources

   Bank of Korea Governor Shin Hyun‑song pushes won‑stablecoin legislation and weighs in on US‑Korea swap

   Bank of Korea Governor Shin Hyun‑song urged fast legislation for a won stablecoin and said the US‑Korea swap aids confidence but liquidity is ample, with exchange‑rate moves tied to global dollar trends.

6. 22 days ago

   [BUSINESS] 2 sources

   Busan Bank completes KRW stablecoin pilot on Kaia blockchain

   Busan Bank completed a successful Korean won stablecoin pilot on the Kaia public blockchain, testing full payment cycles and programmable digital currency rules.

7. 29 days ago

   [BUSINESS] 2 sources

   Kiwoom Securities Negotiates Stake in South Korea's Bithumb Exchange

   Kiwoom Securities is negotiating to buy a stake in South Korea's Bithumb exchange via a private placement, as the crypto firm readies a 2028 IPO and faces new ownership caps under upcoming digital‑asset laws.

8. about 1 month ago

   [BUSINESS] 2 sources

   Binance offers 150‑fold KOSPI leverage futures, attracting $1 trillion in trades

   Binance listed KORUUSDT futures tied to a 3‑times KOSPI ETF, allowing up to 150‑fold leverage, plus 50‑fold Samsung, SK Hynix and Hyundai products, drawing over $7 bn in four days and raising regulatory concern

9. about 1 month ago

   [BUSINESS] 2 sources

   South Korea's Won Stablecoin Plans Face Merchant Network Hurdle

   South Korean banks and fintechs push a won stablecoin, but its uptake depends on expanding merchant acceptance, while regulators call for strict monitoring of issuance and reserves.

10. about 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 3 sources

    South Korean Banks and Tech Giants Buy Major Stakes in Domestic Crypto Exchanges

    South Korean banks and Samsung affiliates are buying stakes in Upbit, Korbit and Coinone as crypto trading volume slumps, positioning themselves for a forthcoming won‑backed stablecoin framework.

11. about 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources

    OKX and Korea Investment take 20% stakes in South Korean exchange Coinone

    OKX Ventures and Korea Investment each bought a 20% stake in South Korean crypto exchange Coinone, valuing the deal at about $53 million per investor and pending regulatory approval.

12. about 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources

    Korean Investment Securities and OKX Ventures become top shareholders of Coinone

    Korean Investment Securities and OKX Ventures each took a ~20% stake in Coinone, joining founder Choi and Com2uS as top shareholders, underscoring a push by traditional financiers into South Korea's crypto市場.