South Korea regulator backs ownership caps for crypto exchanges

The Financial Services Commission chief says ownership limits are still under negotiation as lawmakers debate the Digital Asset Basic Act ahead of a mid-February deadline.

South Korea’s top financial regulator said crypto exchanges should face ownership limits similar to those applied to securities markets, signaling a harder public stance on governance reforms under the country’s proposed Digital Asset Basic Act.

According to a report by The Korea Times, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chair Lee Eog-weon said licensed crypto exchanges should no longer be treated as ordinary private companies but as entities with public-infrastructure characteristics. 

Lee’s comments come as the FSC reviews a proposal to cap major shareholders’ stakes in crypto exchanges at around 15% to 20%, a measure that has drawn resistance from exchange operators and raised concerns within the ruling Democratic Party.

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