South Korea Cracks Down with New Crypto Law: What You Should Know

South Korea’s crypto market is about to undergo a major shakeup! New investor protection laws land on July 19th, forcing exchanges to scramble and potentially delist coins. Will your favorite token survive the purge?

Dive in to see how these regulations will reshape the Korean markets.

What Do These Changes Mean for the Market and Traders?

The Virtual Asset User Protection Act, enacted on July 18, 2023, and effective from July 19, 2024, is designed to safeguard crypto investors and regulate the virtual asset market. This pioneering law addresses unfair trading practices and introduces essential user protection measures, marking South Korea’s first comprehensive regulation for the virtual asset industry.

A Closer Look at Exchanges

Leading exchanges in South Korea, such as Upbit, are preparing to comply with the new regulations. The Digital Asset Exchange Alliance, representing these platforms, has announced a thorough review of 1,333 altcoins over the next six months to ensure compliance. This reassessment aims to prevent immediate mass delistings, easing concerns about a sudden reduction in available tokens.

Upbit, one of the world’s top exchanges and the leading platform in South Korea, faces increased operational costs due to these new regulations. With a 24-hour trading volume of $783 million and 204 listed coins, Upbit’s compliance efforts will be closely monitored. Notably, trading pairs like ZRP/KRW (13.48%) and BTC/KRW (11.69%) dominate the platform, with LayerZero, Bitcoin, Taiko, Solana, XRP and Ethereum among the top coins.

A Mixed Bag of Reactions

The introduction of these laws has already impacted the crypto market, with prices dipping as investors assess potential changes. However, specific coins like LayerZero and Taiko have shown resilience, recording significant gains over the past week. LayerZero has seen a 7-day increase of +34.9% and a 24-hour rise of +9.2%. Taiko has registered a 14-day change of +23.9%, a 7-day change of +26.7%, and a 24-hour gain of +5.4%.

Looking Ahead

As South Korea’s crypto market adapts to these new regulations, investors should stay informed about potential changes in token availability and market dynamics. The coming months will be crucial in shaping the future of cryptocurrency trading in the region.

Also Read: Crypto Regulations in South Korea 2024

Is stricter regulation good for the crypto market in the long run?