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South Korea vs Turkey

Crypto regulation comparison

← Back to map | South Korea | Turkey
South Korea

South Korea

Turkey

Turkey

Legal
Legal

South Korea is one of the world's largest crypto markets. The Virtual Asset Users Protection Act (VAUPA), effective July 2024, provides comprehensive investor protection including requirements for exchanges to hold user assets in cold storage and carry insurance. All VASPs must register with FIU and comply with strict AML rules under the Specific Financial Information Act. A 20% crypto gains tax (above KRW 2.5 million exemption, raised from the original 250K KRW threshold) has been deferred multiple times and is now scheduled for January 2027.

Turkey has one of the highest crypto adoption rates globally, driven by lira depreciation and high inflation. While crypto ownership is legal, the CBRT banned crypto payments in April 2021. In 2024, Turkey passed comprehensive crypto legislation under the Capital Markets Law amendment, giving the CMB authority to license and regulate crypto asset service providers. No crypto-specific tax exists yet, though legislation is under consideration. MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board) oversees AML compliance.

Tax Type Varies
Tax Type None
Tax Rate 20%
Tax Rate 0% (legislation pending)
Exchanges Yes Yes
Exchanges Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Regulator FSC (Financial Services Commission), FSS, FIU (Korea Financial Intelligence Unit)
Regulator CMB (Capital Markets Board), CBRT (Central Bank), MASAK
Stablecoin Rules Under development; stablecoins subject to VASP rules
Stablecoin Rules Under development; CBRT banned crypto for payments
Key Points
  • Virtual Asset Users Protection Act (VAUPA) effective July 2024 — major investor protection law
  • VASPs must register with FIU and partner with real-name verified bank accounts
  • 20% national tax (22% effective incl. 2% local income surtax) above KRW 2.5M annual exemption (deferred to January 2027)
  • Exchanges must hold 80%+ of user assets in cold wallets and carry insurance/reserves
  • Only won-denominated trading pairs allowed on major exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit)
Key Points
  • 2024 Capital Markets Law amendment gives CMB authority to license crypto platforms
  • CBRT banned the use of crypto assets for payments in April 2021
  • No crypto-specific tax currently; capital gains tax legislation under discussion
  • MASAK enforces AML/KYC requirements on crypto platforms
  • Turkey ranks among top 5 globally for crypto adoption (driven by lira depreciation)
Sources
Sources