South Korean authorities have submitted a detailed roadmap for the approval of spot crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs), marking a significant step toward opening the country’s financial markets to crypto-based investment products. 

The Financial Services Commission (FSC), South Korea’s top financial regulator, filed the roadmap with the Presidential Committee on Policy Planning, outlining plans to prepare implementation measures for local spot crypto ETFs in the second half of 2025.

This story is an excerpt from the Unchained Daily newsletter.

This initiative aligns with campaign promises made by President Lee Jae-myung, who pledged to lift the domestic ban on crypto ETFs as part of efforts to provide more financial opportunities for the country’s younger generation.

South Korea is the second-largest crypto market by trading volume, behind the U.S. In 2025, crypto trading volume denominated in Korean won (KRW) is expected to reach $663 billion, second to the U.S. dollar-denominated $832 billion, according to Kaiko data.