South Korea Classifies ‘Blockchain-Powered Tokens’ As ‘Securities’

South Korea has introduced a layer of oversight to the cryptocurrency industry. The nation stated on Monday, February 6, that any blockchain-powered tokens operating inside its borders would be classified as “securities.” In South Korea, “securities” refer to investment products that do not demand further expenses, including maintenance costs, beyond the initial investment. The Asian country has lately increased its efforts to control the cryptocurrency industry in order to stay up with emerging financial innovations.

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) of South Korea has stated that security-like qualities linked with a cryptocurrency would be decided on an individual basis. The assessments will be submitted to the FSC by cryptocurrency exchanges, brokers, and token creators. In South Korea, virtual currencies that often function as stakes in firms or have issuers who distribute token earnings to investors are suitable for securities treatment.

According to research cited by the FSC, the cryptocurrency market in South Korea achieved a value of $46 billion two years back, with roughly 5.58 million users, or around 10% of the country’s population.

The government of South Korea is reportedly in the process of developing precise regulations to safeguard investors from financial loss and prevent the exploitation of cryptocurrency assets for illegal reasons. The announcement of these fresh categorization criteria for crypto tokens is intended to get ready South Korea’s banking industry for impending cryptocurrency laws.

Tokens that are not categorized as securities will be controlled by the upcoming legislation. South Korea intends to permit organizations to straightforwardly issue security tokens for an over-the-counter (OTC) market in order to maintain their usage simple and ubiquitous despite governmental oversight. The nation’s Ministry of Justice is purportedly establishing the ‘Virtual Currency Tracking System’ to combat instances of cryptocurrency money laundering.