Asia Crypto Regulation Update: Korea’s Crime Unit and Japan’s First New License

South Korea is strengthening its crypto regulations and enforcement, launching a Serious Crimes Investigation Agency in October 2026. The agency will handle seven categories of major cases, including corruption, economic offenses, narcotics-related crimes, and cybercrime. A Joint Investigation Division for Voice Phishing, Financial and Virtual-Asset Crimes will be set up to centralize probes into financial crimes tied to virtual-assets.

The Korea Exchange (KRX) is also pushing to open its Novel Securities Market on November 16, 2026. This new venue will cover fractional-investment and income-generating securities backed by non-traditional assets. A Token-Securities Act, governing security token offerings, will formally take effect on February 4, 2027.

Licensing activity in Japan shows a similar pattern: authorities opening controlled pathways for crypto firms while insisting on formal compliance before market access is granted. Nomura-backed Laser Digital Japan secured the country's first new crypto exchange license in four years.