Seoul plans asset management overhaul to include crypto

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Seoul adds crypto to asset law

Highlights

South Korea plans a National Asset Basic Act.
The law would cover crypto and intellectual property.
The current state property law dates back to 1950.
Seoul is also advancing CBDC and digital asset rules.

The Finance Ministry said it will establish a National Asset Basic Act to update how the government manages state-owned assets, The Block reported. Officials said the existing State Property Act, introduced in 1950, was designed for an era when government assets were centered mostly on real estate.

Crypto enters the state asset framework

The planned law would expand South Korea’s asset management system to cover new categories, including intellectual property and virtual assets. The ministry said the framework would also strengthen specialized management by asset type, rather than treating state property mainly as land, buildings, or assets to preserve and sell.

That marks a notable change in how Seoul views crypto within public-sector finance. The proposal does not mean the government is preparing to actively invest in cryptocurrencies, but it does show that virtual assets are being recognized as part of the broader asset-management landscape.

The ministry said the new framework is intended to move state-owned property management away from preservation, disposal, and basic development. The goal is to create a system focused more directly on generating value from public assets.

Digital assets remain part of growth policy

The plan comes as South Korea continues to build a broader policy framework for blockchain and digital assets. At a State Council meeting this week, the ministry reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the local blockchain and digital asset economy, even as artificial intelligence remains a higher-profile policy priority.

The government’s second-half 2026 economic strategy includes further development of its central bank digital currency project and the Digital Asset Basic Act, a separate legal framework for the country’s crypto and stablecoin sector.

Together, the measures suggest Seoul is trying to create clearer rules for both public-sector asset management and private digital-asset markets. South Korea already has one of Asia’s most active crypto communities, making legal clarity an important issue for investors, companies, and regulators.

A broader shift in public finance

The proposal matters because it places digital assets inside a wider discussion about how governments manage value. For decades, state asset policy was built around real estate and physical property. Crypto, intellectual property, and other intangible assets require different rules, risk controls, and valuation methods.

For South Korea, the new law could help align state asset management with its broader digital economy agenda. It also comes as the government works on separate rules for crypto and stablecoins, suggesting that virtual assets are moving from a speculative market issue into mainstream financial policy.

Earlier, we reported that South Korea brings crypto transfers under FX controls.

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