#south korea

In South Korea, cryptocurrency trading volumes have seen a notable increase of 7.7% since early 2023, capturing 12.9% of the worldwide total. Leading this trend is Upbit, a dominant player in South Korea's market.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has received permission from a U.S. judge to request assistance from the South Korean government in questioning Daniel Shin, co-founder of Terraform Labs. Officials plan to question Shin in connection with their own lawsuit against Do Kwon and to obtain documents related to Chai Corporation, a secondary company that was also used in the illegal scheme.

Cheongju’s administration has reached out to seven South Korean crypto exchanges, including Upbit and Bithumb, to investigate the holdings of around 8,520 individuals who owe a minimum of 1 million won ($750) in local taxes. After the investigation, authorities in Cheongju aim to seize cryptocurrency assets from such tax evaders. Crypto have increasingly been used for hiding assets in South Korea. Over the span of 2021 and 2022, a total of around $180 million worth of crypto were seized by the South Korean government from individuals who evaded their taxes.

Private banks in South Korea, Hana Bank and Woori Bank, have taken a keen interest in tokenized deposits, commonly known as Deposit Certificates or CDs. CDs offer an alternative rooted in blockchain technology, serving as an equivalent to private stablecoins and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). Presently, it's being viewed as a potential substitute for customary notes and deposits without disrupting the existing banking system.