South Korea to modify 76-year-old law to classify cryptocurrencies as national assets

Policy South Korea to modify 76-year-old law to classify cryptocurrencies as national assets The government also reaffirmed plans to pilot tokenized government bonds next year and explore tokenizing state-owned real estate. By Olivier Acuna | Edited by Sheldon Reback Jul 15, 2026, 2:35 p.m. 1 min read Make preferred on Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Make preferred on South Korea is planning to modernize its national assets law to include cryptocurrencies. (Yu Kato/Unsplash) Summary Show South Korea plans to revise its 1950 National Property Act to classify virtual currencies and intellectual property as national assets and modernize management of state-owned property. The government will pilot tokenized government bonds in 2027, explore tokenizing state-owned real estate for retail investors, and link these systems to the Bank of Korea’s central bank digital currency infrastructure. Legal amendments taking effect Feb. 4, 2027, will give blockchain-based ledgers formal recognition as security registries under the Capital Markets Act and the Electronic Act. South Korea plans to update its 76-year-old national asset management system to formally include virtual currencies and intellectual property in the country’s definition of national assets, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s economic policy roadmap released Wednesday. The proposal contemplates revising the National Property Act, which dates back to 1950, and includes plans to create a broader legal framework for managing state-owned assets. The ministry reiterated plans to start a pilot program for tokenized government bonds in 2027, saying blockchain technology has the potential to reduce transaction costs and speed up transfers. Officials are also studying the tokenization of state-owned real estate to allow retail investors to participate and share in investment returns, according to the plan. The announcement builds on South Korea’s broader push to bring blockchain into public finance. Earlier this year, the Finance Ministry said it would begin testing tokenized deposits for government spending in the fourth quarter. The Bank of Korea has already started trials of its central bank digital currency (CBDC) with commercial banks. The government said it plans to connect tokenized government bonds to the Bank of Korea’s CBDC infrastructure during the 2027 pilot and will study interoperability between the central bank’s blockchain network and other distributed ledger platforms. Amendments to the Capital Markets Act and the Electronic Act are scheduled to take effect on Feb. 4, 2027, giving blockchain-ledger systems legal recognition as security registries. South Korea Cryptocurrency Latest Crypto News 1 Open USD poses biggest threat yet to Circle's USDC, CoinShares says 32 minutes ago 2 A timeline of the Ethereum Foundation's ongoing shakeup 1 hour ago 3 BlackRock's crypto assets fall 39% despite $15 billion of net inflows 2 hours ago 4 The launchpad that fueled Robinhood Chain's memecoin boom just gave away all its revenue 2 hours ago 5 Japan reclassifies crypto as a financial asset, paves way for tax cuts 2 hours ago 6 Strategy feels 'very secure' until bitcoin reaches $8,000-$10,000, says CEO 2 hours ago 7 Bitcoin rally cools as investors digest inflation data, oil clouds outlook 2 hours ago 8 Crypto steadies as Middle East tensions counter U.S. inflation report boost 3 hours ago 9 Stripe mounts blockbuster $53 billion bid to buy PayPal 3 hours ago 10 Live markets: Bitcoin tops $65,000 as markets get more good inflation news 6 hours ago Latest Research Gate Leads Spot Market Share Gains as CEX Volumes Rise for First Time in Five Months Gate Leads Spot Market Share Gains as CEX Volumes Rise for First Time in Five Months CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B. By CoinDesk Research Jul 13, 2026 CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B. Why it matters : CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B. View Full Report More From Policy Japan reclassifies crypto as a financial asset, paves way for tax cuts U.S. CFTC moves to stop Kalshi from canceling trades as ordered by Michigan court Some U.S. Senate Democrats come out against Clarity Act, calling it a 'corrupt' bill