TLDR
- South Korea plans to update its 1950 National Property Act.
- Crypto and intellectual property may become national assets.
- Seoul plans a tokenized government bond pilot in 2027.
- State-owned real estate tokenization is also under review.
- Japan has also moved to classify crypto as financial assets.
South Korea is preparing to update a 76-year-old state property law to bring cryptocurrencies, virtual assets, and intellectual property into its national asset framework.
South Korea Plans Crypto Asset Law Update
South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance has proposed revisions to the National Property Act, which dates back to 1950. The planned update would expand the legal meaning of national assets beyond traditional state property such as land, buildings, and public holdings.
The new framework would classify virtual currencies and intellectual property as part of the country’s national assets. The government said the reform is designed to modernize how state-owned property is managed in a digital economy.
The proposal forms part of South Korea’s broader economic policy roadmap for the second half of 2026. Officials are also working on a wider legal structure for managing state assets and improving their long-term value.
The planned reform would cover about 1,400 trillion won in government holdings. Seoul wants to move from basic asset preservation toward broader use of public property, including digital and tokenized assets.
Tokenized Bonds and State Real Estate Take Focus
South Korea also reaffirmed plans to pilot tokenized government bonds in 2027. The program would connect tokenized bonds to the Bank of Korea’s central bank digital currency infrastructure.
Officials said blockchain technology “could” reduce transaction costs and speed up transfers. The government also plans to study how the Bank of Korea’s blockchain network can work with other distributed ledger systems.
Seoul is also reviewing the tokenization of state-owned real estate. The plan could allow retail investors to access public real estate projects through security tokens and share investment returns.
The move follows earlier plans to test tokenized deposits for government spending in the fourth quarter. Amendments to the Capital Markets Act and the Electronic Act are scheduled to take effect on February 4, 2027, giving blockchain-based ledgers legal recognition as security registries.
Asia Crypto Rules Advance as US Debates CLARITY Act
South Korea’s plan comes as Asian markets move to update crypto rules. Japan has passed legislation reclassifying cryptocurrencies from payment methods to financial assets under its Financial Instruments and Exchange Act.
Japan’s update also introduces a flat 20% tax on crypto gains, tougher rules on insider trading, and stronger oversight of unregistered trading. The law could also create a pathway for future spot Bitcoin ETFs.
Meanwhile, US lawmakers continue to negotiate the CLARITY Act, a broad crypto market structure bill. Several senators are expected to meet President Donald Trump to discuss the bill’s progress and its “path to success.”
