South Korea Joins Global Bitcoin Spot ETF Push, Targets 2026 Rollout

bitcoinistPublished on 2026-01-10Last updated on 2026-01-10

Abstract

South Korea has announced plans to introduce Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) by 2026 as part of its broader digital asset reforms. The government is using the established spot crypto ETF markets in the US and Hong Kong as key references for its framework. These ETFs allow investors to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin without directly owning the assets. In addition to ETFs, South Korea's Financial Services Commission is accelerating legislation to establish a regulatory framework for stablecoins. The announcement comes as US Bitcoin spot ETFs have recently experienced significant outflows, with the latest weekly netflow reported at a negative $431 million. Concurrently, Bitcoin's price has retraced to approximately $90,500.

South Korea has announced plans to introduce Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in 2026 as part of broader digital asset reforms.

South Korea Using US & Hong Kong Crypto Spot ETFs As A Reference

South Korea revealed in its 2026 Economic Growth Strategy plans to allow spot digital asset ETFs this year, according to Wu Blockchain, citing local media outlet News1.

Spot ETFs are investment vehicles that allow traders to gain exposure to an underlying asset without having to directly own it. Such vehicles trade in the traditional markets, so investors of a spot ETF tied to a cryptocurrency never have to interact with blockchain components like wallets and exchanges.

Instead, the funds buy and custody the assets on behalf of investors. In recent years, spot ETFs tied to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have gained adoption in different regions of the world as DeFi and TradFi intersect.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved spot ETFs for Bitcoin in January 2024 and Ethereum in July 2024, while the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) allowed both in April 2024. Approvals related to altcoins like Solana followed in 2025.

Now, it would appear that South Korea is also looking to join the fray. Per the report, the country’s government has explicitly cited the digital asset spot ETF markets active in the US and Hong Kong as key reference points. Plans related to spot ETFs aren’t all that South Korea has announced. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) of the country is also accelerating the next phase of its digital asset legislation, which will establish a framework for stablecoins.

In the East Asian bloc, other governments have already made progress on stablecoins. Hong Kong enacted its stablecoin legislation in August, while Japan saw the launch of its first yen-backed token in October. While South Korea has set a timeframe of 2026, it’s unknown when exactly spot ETFs could be introduced. As such, it only remains to be seen what plans the government will reveal next and which assets besides Bitcoin will be covered.

Speaking of spot Bitcoin ETFs, these funds have been facing outflows in the US recently, as data from SoSoValue shows.

How the spot BTC ETF netflow has changed over the last couple of years | Source: SoSoValue

From the chart, it’s visible that the Bitcoin spot ETF weekly netflow has mostly been negative since the cryptocurrency’s decline started in October. There were a few weeks that saw a positive value, but the scale of net inflows remained limited.

The netflow for the latest week has stood at a negative $431 million, meaning that the US funds are continuing to bleed.

BTC Price

Bitcoin has erased some of its recent gains as its price has retraced back to $90,500.

Looks like the price of the coin has gone down recently | Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView

Trending Cryptos

ctr
CitreaCTR
wstusdt
wrapped stUSDTWSTUSDT
apr
aPrioriAPR
ctx
Cryptex FinanceCTX
audio
AudiusAUDIO
comp
CompoundCOMP
mantra
MantraMANTRA
waxl
AxelarWAXL
bill
Billions NetworkBILL
pyth
PYTH (Pyth)PYTH
rune
THORChainRUNE
velodrome
Velodrome FinanceVELODROME
brev
BrevisBREV
cake
PancakeSwapCAKE
jst
JUSTJST

Related Questions

QWhat is the timeline for South Korea's introduction of Bitcoin spot ETFs?

ASouth Korea plans to introduce Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in 2026 as part of its broader digital asset reforms.

QWhich two markets did South Korea cite as key reference points for its digital asset spot ETF plans?

ASouth Korea's government cited the digital asset spot ETF markets active in the United States and Hong Kong as key reference points.

QBesides spot ETFs, what other major digital asset legislation is South Korea's Financial Services Commission (FSC) accelerating?

AThe Financial Services Commission (FSC) of South Korea is also accelerating the next phase of its digital asset legislation to establish a framework for stablecoins.

QWhat was the netflow for the latest week for US Bitcoin spot ETFs, according to data from SoSoValue?

AThe netflow for the latest week for US Bitcoin spot ETFs was a negative $431 million, indicating continued outflows.

QWhat was the price of Bitcoin mentioned at the end of the article?

AAt the end of the article, the price of Bitcoin had retraced back to $90,500.

Related Reads

Orbs Launches OIP-9 to Establish Community Governance DAO

Orbs has launched OIP-9, its first official community governance proposal to establish the Orbs DAO. If approved, it will create the initial governance layer, granting qualified members control over specific protocol aspects and advancing decentralization. After years of development, this proposal marks the next phase, formalizing community oversight through a methodical approach balancing security and decentralization. Tokens staked in the Orbs Proof-of-Stake contract will be eligible for governance via proposals and snapshot voting, with decisions executed through DAO-controlled multisig wallets. Initially, the DAO will supervise key network parameters, including PoS architecture, Guardian approvals, and significant protocol changes. The proposal adopts a progressive model, gradually increasing community responsibility. Future proposals may address protocol revenue, treasury management, and tokenomics. An emergency mechanism allows the core team to act if urgently needed for network stability, subject to subsequent DAO approval. This governance foundation will also support the next roadmap phase, including proposed Season 1 tokenomics, enabling future community decisions on protocol economics and ecosystem growth.

TheNewsCrypto54m ago

Orbs Launches OIP-9 to Establish Community Governance DAO

TheNewsCrypto54m ago

Wall Street Morning Report: AI + Cloud Computing Takes Over the Market Again, Amazon Knocks on the Door of $3 Trillion

Wall Street's August began with a strong rally, driven by easing Middle East tensions as President Trump signaled progress on U.S.-Iran talks, prompting a sharp drop in oil prices. Major indices hit record or near-record highs, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 1.32%, the Nasdaq Composite surging 2.13%, and the S&P 500 rising 1.48%. The energy sector was the sole decliner. The AI and cloud computing narrative dominated the tech rally. The "Magnificent Seven" index jumped 3.6%. Amazon's market cap surpassed $3 trillion for the first time following robust AWS results, while Nvidia regained a $5 trillion valuation. Meta, Google, and Microsoft also posted significant gains. Other AI-related stocks like Palantir, CoreWeave, and various semiconductor and infrastructure companies saw strong advances. In other markets, gold held above $4,000, supported by central bank buying. Treasury yields fell as oil prices dropped. The U.S. dollar remained stable despite strong manufacturing data. Japan's substantial currency intervention raised concerns, but U.S. officials reassured markets about the mechanism used. Key events ahead include major industry conferences (Ai4 2026, FMS Summit) and earnings reports from companies like SpaceX, AMD, and Pfizer. The White House is also set to host a meeting with leading AI firms to discuss regulatory frameworks.

marsbit1h ago

Wall Street Morning Report: AI + Cloud Computing Takes Over the Market Again, Amazon Knocks on the Door of $3 Trillion

marsbit1h ago

The July Tech Stock Pullback: Which Funds Are Paying the Price for Buying High?

In July, China's technology stocks experienced a sharp correction, causing significant pain for actively managed mutual funds that aggressively increased their holdings in the sector during the second quarter. The sell-off saw major indices like the ChiNext and STAR 50 fall over 25% and 28% for the month, respectively. Funds that piled into tech at its June peak faced steep losses. Notably, several veteran "value investor" fund managers, known for long-term holdings in consumer staples, made dramatic shifts. Star managers like Zhang Kun (E Fund Blue Chip Selected) and Liu Yanchun (Invesco Great Wall Dingyi) drastically reduced positions in liquor stocks like Kweichow Moutai, switching instead to semiconductor and AI hardware companies like SMIC and Ingenic International. Data shows active equity funds' allocation to the electronics sector reached a historical high of 42.64% by end-Q2. Around 67 funds saw their TMT (Technology, Media, Telecom) weighting surge from an average of 6.75% to 54.99%. The consequences were severe in July: these high-TMT funds fell an average of over 20%, with 12 plunging more than 40%. Examples include Jinhua High-Quality Growth and Guoshou Anbao Wenhui, which fell 26.34% and nearly 40% respectively after raising TMT weights above 70%. The article also highlights issues of "style drift," where funds with names like "high-dividend" held high-P/E tech stocks instead, confusing investors. Newly launched funds suffered even more. For instance, Guotai Haitong New Energy RuiXuan Hybrid, launched in mid-June, saw its net asset value plummet to 0.5509 yuan by July 30, a loss of nearly 45%. Analysts note the extreme sector concentration mirrored past bubbles (e.g., 2021 new energy). The intense, crowded trade itself became a major risk. While tech stocks rebounded sharply on July 31, the funds that chased the high face a longer-term market test.

marsbit1h ago

The July Tech Stock Pullback: Which Funds Are Paying the Price for Buying High?

marsbit1h ago

Dalio's Warning: AI Bubble Is Here, Gold Is the Hard Asset

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, warns that the AI sector is currently in a bubble, drawing parallels to historical examples like the 1929 crash and the dot-com bubble. He explains that revolutionary new technologies lead to excessive excitement and investment, often with investors ignoring price fundamentals and taking on debt, which ultimately creates unsustainable asset valuations. Dalio outlines three key signs that a bubble is about to burst: 1) Rising interest rates, which force asset sales for liquidity. 2) A significant increase in stock supply as companies issue more shares. 3) A shift in ownership from steadfast institutional investors to less knowledgeable, often leveraged, retail investors. To navigate the potential downturn, he strongly advocates for a diversified investment portfolio, criticizing cash as a poor long-term store of value due to inflation. He specifically recommends allocating 5-15% of a portfolio to gold, which he views as a unique "hard asset" and an effective hedge because it is no one else's liability. In contrast, he is skeptical of Bitcoin as "digital gold," citing potential vulnerabilities to future technologies like quantum computing and government intervention. Regarding the AI revolution, Dalio believes the primary beneficiaries will be capitalists who own the automating technology, potentially exacerbating wealth inequality as machines replace both physical and increasingly complex cognitive labor. However, he concludes that humans with exceptional intelligence and strong collaborative skills will continue to thrive by leveraging uniquely human traits like emotion and intuition that AI cannot replicate. Finally, touching on his theory of long-term cycles, Dalio suggests the world is currently approaching a significant inflection point in an approximate 80-year cycle of changing world orders.

marsbit1h ago

Dalio's Warning: AI Bubble Is Here, Gold Is the Hard Asset

marsbit1h ago

Bitmine adds $19.6M in ETH, repurchases 4.5M shares

Bitmine Immersion Technologies expanded its Ether holdings by 10,399 ETH last week, valued at $19.6 million, as part of its ongoing crypto acquisition strategy. The company's total ETH holdings now stand at approximately 5.8 million, worth around $10.9 billion, representing about 4.8% of Ethereum's circulating supply. Bitmine's goal is to reach 5% of the total ETH supply. Additionally, the firm repurchased 4.5 million of its own common shares, bringing total buybacks since July 1 to 16.1 million shares under a previously approved $4 billion program. Bitmine's overall portfolio, including Bitcoin, cash, securities, and equity investments, is valued at $11.3 billion.

cointelegraph2h ago

Bitmine adds $19.6M in ETH, repurchases 4.5M shares

cointelegraph2h ago

Trading

Spot

Hot Articles

How to Buy PUSH

Welcome to HTX.com! We've made purchasing Push Protocol (PUSH) simple and convenient. Follow our step-by-step guide to embark on your crypto journey.Step 1: Create Your HTX AccountUse your email or phone number to sign up for a free account on HTX. Experience a hassle-free registration journey and unlock all features.Get My AccountStep 2: Go to Buy Crypto and Choose Your Payment MethodCredit/Debit Card: Use your Visa or Mastercard to buy Push Protocol (PUSH) instantly.Balance: Use funds from your HTX account balance to trade seamlessly.Third Parties: We've added popular payment methods such as Google Pay and Apple Pay to enhance convenience.P2P: Trade directly with other users on HTX.Over-the-Counter (OTC): We offer tailor-made services and competitive exchange rates for traders.Step 3: Store Your Push Protocol (PUSH)After purchasing your Push Protocol (PUSH), store it in your HTX account. Alternatively, you can send it elsewhere via blockchain transfer or use it to trade other cryptocurrencies.Step 4: Trade Push Protocol (PUSH)Easily trade Push Protocol (PUSH) on HTX's spot market. Simply access your account, select your trading pair, execute your trades, and monitor in real-time. We offer a user-friendly experience for both beginners and seasoned traders.

4.1k Total ViewsPublished 2024.03.29Updated 2026.06.02

How to Buy PUSH

Discussions

Welcome to the HTX Community. Here, you can stay informed about the latest platform developments and gain access to professional market insights. Users' opinions on the price of PUSH (PUSH) are presented below.

活动图片

Top Questions