In June, South Korea’s net stablecoin outflows to foreign exchanges were 560.3 billion won ($367 million), making it 18 months in a row.
Lawmaker Lee Jong-wook of the People Power Party provided Yonhap News Agency with this information, which he obtained from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). The five largest cryptocurrency exchanges in South Korea, Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax, transferred 2.7 trillion won ($1.81 billion) in stablecoins abroad in June and got 2.2 trillion won ($1.44 billion) from international platforms.
According to market players quoted by Yonhap, the transfers were caused by demand for goods such international derivatives, tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), decentralized finance and staking items that are either prohibited or not available on domestic exchanges.
Lee has called on the government to reevaluate how it protects investors and regulates global cryptocurrency activity as stablecoin withdrawals continue. The Korea Times reports that he said, “The government must thoroughly examine its investor protection and supervisory frameworks again and move swiftly to improve regulations.”
The withdrawals coincide with South Korea’s efforts to finalize a more comprehensive legislative framework for digital assets. Before the Digital Asset Basic Act is approved, authorities should phase in stablecoin laws and implement temporary licensing guidelines, according to a policy study released on Thursday.
With regulations for stablecoin issuance, disclosures, and market activity, the proposed legislation would provide the nation’s first all-encompassing framework for digital assets.
Delays have resulted from disagreements over whether institutions should be allowed to manufacture won-pegged stablecoins, although lawmakers have yet to come to a consensus on several points.
The amount of bitcoin transfers that need to be recorded has also been increased by South Korean regulators. On June 22, the South Korean Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) proposed that the Travel Rule reporting requirements be applied to transactions under one million won, or around $650.
The FIU also called for more robust action against unregistered foreign exchanges that cater to South Koreans. The commission claims that the country’s continuous stablecoin outflows underscore the potential for regulatory arbitrage as a result of uneven licensing and regulation among nations.
South Korean Stablecoins Post 18 Straight Months of Net Outflows to Overseas Exchanges
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea’s five major won-based crypto exchanges sent 2.7625 trillion won in stablecoins to overseas platforms in June 2026, while receiving 2.2022 trillion… pic.twitter.com/sDFsaBmDKN
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) August 2, 2026
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