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South Korea’s next president may come with a Bitcoin ETF in hand — if campaign promises hold up this time.
All Major Candidates Say Yes to Bitcoin ETFs
In a rare show of unity, all three leading presidential candidates in South Korea have declared support for legalizing spot Bitcoin ETFs and encouraging institutional crypto investment.
Ki Young Ju, CEO of CryptoQuant, pointed out that with crypto ETFs still banned:
“100% of the volume comes from retail.”
Currently, institutional investment in crypto remains prohibited, with no access to ETFs — a gap that candidates now pledge to fix.
Promises Made, Delays Delivered
Among the loudest voices: Democratic Party leader Lee Jae‑myung, who vowed on May 6 to legalize spot crypto ETFs, reduce transaction fees, and build a safer investment environment for young Koreans.
But there’s a catch: these promises were also made last election, and little has changed. Past attempts, like those from the People Power Party in 2022, fizzled after President Yoon’s impeachment.
Crypto advisor Anndy Lian noted:
“They will take on similar stances as Hong Kong… but whether the ETFs can perform or not depends on various other factors.”
A Glimpse of Global Trend Alignment
If a pro‑crypto president does take office, experts believe it could align South Korea with nations like the U.S., where spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen billions in inflows.
The Financial Services Commission (FSC) has also shown signs of regulatory flexibility, signaling that this election might actually move the needle.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong launched its first Bitcoin and Ether ETFs on April 30, but they’ve struggled to match U.S. trading volumes.
