South Korea’s upcoming presidential election, scheduled for June 3, 2025, is poised to bring significant gains to the country’s crypto industry, no matter who wins. The election follows the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol in December 2024, after his failed attempt to declare martial law amid political unrest.
The two leading candidates—Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party and Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party—are both taking pro-crypto stances.
Lee Jae-myung has pledged to legalize spot crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and open the $884 billion National Pension Fund to crypto investments. He also supports issuing a Korean won-pegged stablecoin to prevent capital flight and improve financial opportunities for younger generations. Additionally, Lee wants to ease restrictions that require crypto exchanges to partner with licensed banks for fiat services.
Kim Moon-soo, his main rival, has endorsed similar crypto-friendly policies. He supports the legalization of spot crypto ETFs and backs regulatory easing, signaling rare bipartisan alignment on crypto policy in South Korea.
According to Simon Seojoon Kim, CEO of Seoul-based VC firm Hashed Ventures, the election outcome will likely be a win for crypto investors regardless of who takes office.
The push for clearer crypto regulations comes as retail investor participation continues to dominate the South Korean crypto market. In July 2024, the country introduced stricter rules, including life imprisonment for severe financial crimes involving digital assets. On May 20, 2025, the Financial Services Commission announced new guidelines for crypto listings and the treatment of non-profit digital assets.
In a further show of commitment to the sector, the Democratic Party recently launched a Digital Asset Committee to advance industry policies and innovation.
South Korea remains one of the world’s most active crypto markets. Daily crypto trading volumes on local exchanges often surpass those of traditional stock indices, with over 16 million registered crypto users.
With both presidential candidates advocating for digital asset growth, South Korea’s crypto industry appears set for expansion, no matter the election result.
