South Korea plans to have banks lead the issuance of the Korean won stablecoin: exchanges and payment platforms will compete for the recharge and settlement market

The draft of South Korea's "Basic Law on Digital Assets," expected to be announced this month, will propose that a bank-led consortium be responsible for issuing the Korean won stablecoin. However, even if banks are responsible for issuance, exchanges and third-party payment platforms may still take on the circulation link connecting consumers and merchants, making user entry points and application scenarios key to competition.

It is reported that the business integration between Upbit's operator Dunamu and Naver Financial could become an important variable. If related services are approved for integration, Dunamu could generate revenue through stablecoin transactions, while Naver Financial is expected to collect fees through merchant payments and settlements. A representative from South Korea's financial regulatory authorities pointed out that if stablecoins are used for electronic payments, related businesses may need to comply with the "Electronic Financial Transactions Act," and clarify obligations regarding the protection of recharged funds and settlement funds, transaction information management, and dispute resolution.