Digital Asset Framework Act Hearing Delay Raises Fears of Slipped Timeline

The National Assembly's public hearing on the Digital Asset Framework Act has yet to be scheduled, raising concerns that discussions may slip into November or later.

The act aims to regulate digital-asset issuance and distribution, as well as service providers' business operations and market oversight. Key issues under review include won-denominated stablecoins, oversight measures for those tokens, and limits on ownership stakes held by major shareholders of exchanges.

Under the current Income Tax Act, taxation on income from virtual assets is set to begin in January 2027 with a basic deduction of 2.5 million won ($1,810) and a 22% tax rate applied to income above that threshold.