South Korea Records First Institutional Crypto Sale Since Ban Lift

June 2, 2025 – South Korea has taken a significant step toward opening its crypto markets to institutional players, with its first non-retail crypto sale marking the beginning of the country’s gradual rollback of its long-standing restrictions on institutional digital asset trading.

On Sunday, World Vision Korea, a prominent humanitarian aid organization, sold 0.55 ETH (approximately $1,396.50) via Upbit, one of South Korea’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. The transaction was confirmed by Dunamu, the parent company of Upbit, and represents the first institutional crypto sale under the country’s revised regulations.

This milestone follows a recent announcement by the Financial Services Commission (FSC), which declared that, beginning June 1, qualified non-profit organizations and registered crypto exchanges would be permitted to sell their crypto holdings on domestic platforms. The policy change allows non-profits to liquidate crypto donations, while exchanges can convert fees received in crypto into fiat.

More Institutional Access on the Horizon

The FSC plans to expand access to crypto trading for publicly listed companies and registered professional investors in the second half of 2025. This phased approach is designed to balance market innovation with regulatory oversight, while gradually integrating institutional players into the domestic crypto ecosystem.

Political Tailwinds: Crypto in the Spotlight Ahead of Election

This regulatory shift comes at a time of growing political momentum for crypto in South Korea. As the country heads into a presidential election on Tuesday, all three leading candidates have pledged to support digital asset innovation, including commitments to approve the nation’s first spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

With institutional access slowly opening and political backing for crypto growing stronger, South Korea appears poised to re-emerge as a major player in the global digital asset space — this time with broader regulatory support and institutional participation.

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