South Korea placed digital assets and blockchain within its growth agenda on 14 Jul, when the finance ministry and other agencies released a joint economic strategy for the second half of 2026 that referenced the sector across several of its measures.
South Korea Puts Digital Assets in H2 Growth Strategy
14 July 2026 - 12:00 CEST
By Oihyun Kim
The strategy states that its blockchain measures aim to support the "innovative growth" of the blockchain and digital asset ecosystem, through steps ranging from large-scale pilot projects to securing leading technologies.
Legislation, ETF access
The strategy's "Blockchain Economy" section commits the government to advancing a Digital Asset Basic Act in the second half, covering the subdivision of digital asset businesses, conduct-of-business rules and stablecoin regulation.
Linked legislation under discussion, following user-protection rules introduced in 2024, would extend stablecoin regulation to cross-border transactions. The plan also pledges support for Capital Markets Act amendments that would enable spot crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Blockchain, public finance
The document ties blockchain to state finances. The finance ministry will pursue tokenization of government bonds, which it says would mark the start of "innovation in financial infrastructure", including a pilot linked to the Bank of Korea's institutional central bank digital currency (CBDC) infrastructure, targeted for 2027.
It also outlines a blockchain-based system for generating, managing and trading voluntary carbon credits, in cooperation with bodies including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Global Green Growth Institute.
Timelines left open
The strategy document notes that stablecoin regulation, one of the measures planned under the framework, was among four tasks that missed their original first-half deadline. Its detailed action plan schedules blockchain and digital asset items across the second half and beyond, but does not attach firm timelines to the Digital Asset Basic Act or the spot-ETF amendments.
The Financial Services Commission reports its half-year policy to the president on 15 Jul. Digital assets are expected to feature within broader capital-market plans rather than as a standalone agenda, with household debt and property lending set to dominate.
