South Korean Regulator Sets Meeting with SEC’s Gary Gensler: Bitcoin ETFs on the Horizon?
South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) Director, Lee Bok-hyun, is gearing up for a visit to the U.S. later this year to meet with SEC chairman Gary Gensler to discuss the cryptocurrency industry and Bitcoin ETFs. Meanwhile, the purpose of the visit is to enhance collaboration between financial authorities in South Korea and the United States.
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South Korea’s Big Announcement
On the 5th, Director Lee
announced his 2024
business plan at the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) in Yeouido, Seoul. He revealed plans to visit major advanced financial markets, including New York, USA, in Q2.
Perhaps, the primary focus of these discussions will be on Korea’s discount measures, specifically the Bitcoin spot ETF and a corporate value-up program.
Director Lee has
already had a meeting
with SEC Chairman Gensler earlier this year, setting the stage for strong discussions in the upcoming sessions. Meanwhile, the aim is to address virtual asset concerns and seek approval for a Bitcoin spot ETF.
South Korea Follows U.S. Footsteps
South Korea is one of the leading crypto regulators in the Asia-Pacific region, often following the footsteps of the U.S. in crypto rules. This includes bans on using credit cards for crypto and cracking down on crypto mixing services.
Meanwhile, during the second week of January, as the SEC approved the spot BTC ETF, the South Korean securities
regulator issued a warning
to local firms, cautioning them against brokering spot Bitcoin ETFs from the U.S.
Simultaneously, South Korea’s Office of the President took a different stance by urging the financial
regulator to reconsider
the possibility of a spot Bitcoin ETF within the country. They suggested adopting a flexible approach to the matter.
Consequently, the FSS under the Financial Services Commission (FSC) is set to engage with the SEC and Chair Gary Gensler to discuss the implications of the spot Bitcoin ETF and explore the regulatory landscape surrounding it.