South Korea Unveils Emergency Measures on Single-Stock Leveraged ETFs South Korean financial authorities have announced strict regulatory updates targeting single-stock leveraged ETFs (such as @Samsung & @SKhynix products) to cool market overheating and protect retail investors: 1. No New Listings & Ads: Temporary suspension on new single-stock products (including inverse & covered calls) and an immediate ban on marketing for existing ones. 2. Tighter Tracking Error: LP tracking error limit reduced from 3% to 2% for all ETFs/ETNs, with faster "cautionary stock" designations. 3. Strict Capital Requirements: Minimum deposit requirement raised from 10M to 30M KRW—payable only in CASH (no substitute securities). This applies to both domestic and overseas single-stock leveraged products. 4. Trading & Education: Mandatory education increased to 3 hours (with quizzes), automated loss-warning push notifications, and minimum trading units for domestic products increased to 20 shares. These measures aim to curb high-risk speculation amidst rising tech stock volatility.

Lawmaker Kim Byung-ki’s Former Aide Allegedly Pressured FSS to End Upbit's Stablecoin Fee Promo South Korean @polinlove have launched an investigation into explosive allegations that a former parliamentary aide used political pressure to manipulate an intense stablecoin fee war between domestic crypto exchange giants @Official_Upbit and @BithumbOfficial. According to reports, the aide to independent lawmaker Kim Byung-ki allegedly coerced the Financial Supervisory Service last February to force Upbit into ending its aggressive $USDC and $USDT fee reduction campaign. This unprecedented intervention purportedly aimed to bail out rival exchange Bithumb, which was suffering severe financial bleeding from a zero-fee promotion implemented to counter Upbit's massive capital advantage. Deepening the controversy over potential quid pro quo collusion, authorities noted that the aide secured an unofficial advisory role at Bithumb just months after the intervention, coinciding with the lawmaker's son also being hired by the exchange as an intern. While Bithumb firmly denies any knowledge of political meddling, claiming its fee adjustments were strictly independent business decisions, the unfolding scandal threatens to cast a heavy shadow over the integrity of the local crypto market's competitive landscape.

"Tokenized Stocks Are Securities": South Korea Kicks Off Tax Preparations Following @fsckorea Ruling South Korea's Financial Services Commission has officially declared that tokenized stocks are classified as traditional securities rather than virtual assets, giving @mofekorea the green light to impose immediate taxes. Dispelling widespread market assumptions that tokenized equities would remain tax-exempt until next year's crypto tax implementation, authorities plan to apply a 15.4% dividend tax and a 22% capital gains tax—mirroring existing regulations for conventional foreign stock investments. While immediate enforcement faces hurdles due to the offshore nature of these trades on platforms like @binance, the government is actively preparing to track transactions via the @OECD's Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework set to launch next year. This decisive regulatory shift comes as global demand for tokenized shares of major tech giants—ranging from $TSLA and $NVDA to local heavyweights like @Samsung and @SKhynix, with monthly transfer volumes surging 105% to hit a staggering $8.41 billion in June.

Mystery Over @openstandard: Korean Giants Express Bewilderment After Inclusion in Stablecoin Alliance While the newly unveiled global stablecoin alliance "Open Standard" has generated massive buzz by announcing its upcoming dollar-pegged stablecoin, $OUSD, mystery shrouds its member list as several major South Korean conglomerates deny active participation. Despite Open Standard claiming backing from 140+ global giants alongside top Korean firms like @Samsung, Dunamu (operator of @Official_Upbit), and Shinhan Financial Group, multiple local entities have clarified they never had formal discussions or commitments, expressing bewilderment over their surprise inclusion. OUSD aims to challenge the dominant @tether and @circle duopoly through an open infrastructure model that distributes reserve yield back to its network partners, but growing skepticism over its actual corporate partnerships could overshadow its ambitious launch.

FIU Warns Crypto Referrals for Unregistered Offshore Exchanges Could Face Criminal Charges South Korea's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has issued a stern warning that crypto influencers participating in referral programs for unregistered foreign exchanges could face criminal prosecution for aiding and abetting illegal operations. The FIU clarified that receiving commissions to promote offshore platforms via @YouTube, @telegram, or other SNS goes beyond simple advertising and actively facilitates unlicensed business targeting South Korean citizens. Furthermore, the regulatory body emphasized that any foreign operator targeting the domestic market must register under the reporting requirements, noting that only 28 crypto entities are currently legally authorized to operate in the country. Vowing to crack down on regulatory loopholes—including offshore platforms disguising their domestic operations and illegal private exchanges swapping stablecoins for KRW—the FIU stated it will continue to block domestic IPs and report violators to law enforcement to prevent money laundering and protect investors from unregulated risks.

South Korea to Classify Tokenized Stocks as Securities, Paving Way for Taxation South Korea’s tax authorities have firmly stated that tokenized stocks will be classified as securities rather than tax-exempt virtual assets, paving the way for immediate taxation as early as the second half of this year. Pending @fsckorea final regulatory guidelines expected in July, @mofekorea (MOFE) emphasized that the economic reality of tokenized equities falls strictly under the Capital Markets Act, subjecting them to dividend income tax regardless of where they are issued. To effectively enforce this, the MOFE and the National Tax Service are actively establishing an information-exchange framework with overseas agencies like the US IRS to track transactions on offshore platforms. This major regulatory shift arrives just as the tokenized stock market—driven by investors seeking tax-free exposure to major US tech shares like $TSLA and $NVDA — has surged 115% year-to-date to hit $1.46 billion.

Korea Investment & Securities Partners with @okx to Acquire 40% Stake in @CoinoneOfficial Korea Investment & Securities (KIS) and global exchange OKX are jointly acquiring a 40% stake in South Korean crypto exchange Coinone for an estimated 500 to 600 billion KRW. Under the agreement, KIS and OKX will each secure a 20% share mostly through newly issued stocks, while Coinone's founder and current leadership retain management control. This trilateral alliance aims to launch STO, corporate crypto investment platforms, and prime brokerage services by combining OKX's global infrastructure with KIS's traditional finance expertise. The landmark deal reflects a massive shift in the local market, as financial authorities signal an easing of the strict separation between traditional finance and crypto, sparking a fierce race among local brokerages to secure Web3 market dominance.