South Korea to integrate digital assets into new state asset management system

Created at 15 Jul · 11:06 AM1 source↑ Market-relevant

IN SHORT

South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance plans to include digital assets and intellectual property in its updated state asset management framework, moving away from the 1950 State Property Act. The reform aims to modernize asset management and explore tokenization of government bonds and real estate.

Key Numbers

1950year of outdated State Property Act

2027year for tokenized bond pilot and securities act changes

2026year for Q4 tokenized deposit spending pilot rollout

2026year for Economic Growth Strategy

Who's Involved

Ministry of Economy and Finance (MOEF)

South Korean ministry planning state asset management reform

Bank of Korea (BOK)

Central bank whose CBDC infrastructure will be tested for interoperability

Hyun Song Shin

BOK Governor who outlined CBDC interoperability plans

Financial Services Commission

Regulator that will oversee tokenized assets under the new framework

↳ Why This Matters

This initiative signifies a major regulatory step for South Korea, potentially integrating digital assets more formally into its financial infrastructure and economy, while also exploring innovative uses of blockchain technology for government operations and public investment.

Key facts

South Korea plans to update its state asset management system with the National Asset Basic Act.
Digital assets and intellectual property will be explicitly included in the definition of state assets.
The country plans a 2027 pilot project to tokenize government bonds on a blockchain.
Exploration of tokenizing state-owned real estate is also planned to encourage retail participation.
A pilot project linking tokenized government bonds to CBDC infrastructure is slated for 2027.
Legal recognition for blockchain ledgers as securities registries will be established by February 2027.

South Korea is set to modernize its state asset management system, with plans to incorporate digital assets and intellectual property under a new framework. The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MOEF) announced its intention to replace the outdated State Property Act of 1950 with the National Asset Basic Act, aiming to broaden the definition of state assets and foster value creation.

As part of this initiative, the ministry plans to tokenize government bonds on a blockchain for a pilot project in 2027, with the goal of reducing transaction costs. Additionally, the government is exploring the tokenization of state-owned real estate to enable broader retail investor participation and share generated returns. This move is significant for South Korea, known for its active retail cryptocurrency market.

Further underscoring its commitment to a blockchain-based economy, South Korea's government outlined its 2026 Economic Growth Strategy for the Second Half. This strategy includes a 2027 pilot program to link tokenized government bonds with the central bank digital currency (CBDC) infrastructure. Authorities intend to study how the Bank of Korea's CBDC infrastructure can interoperate with other blockchains, a concept previously discussed by BOK Governor Hyun Song Shin.

Earlier announcements detailed a pilot project for using tokenized deposits to manage government operational spending, with a full rollout anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2026. Concurrently, amendments to the Capital Markets Act and Electronic Securities Act, establishing the country's first tokenized securities framework, are scheduled to become effective on February 4, 2027. These changes will legally recognize blockchain ledgers as valid securities registries, bringing tokenized assets under the jurisdiction of the Financial Services Commission.

Frequently asked questions

The main goal is to modernize the management of national assets, moving from an outdated, real estate-focused framework to one that emphasizes value creation and explicitly includes digital assets and intellectual property.

Digital assets, along with intellectual property, will be explicitly included under the broadened definition of state assets within the new National Asset Basic Act framework.

South Korea plans to tokenize government bonds for a pilot project and explore tokenizing state-owned real estate. They also aim to make the central bank's CBDC infrastructure interoperable with other blockchains.

The changes to the Capital Markets Act and Electronic Securities Act, establishing the country's first tokenized securities framework, are scheduled to take full effect on February 4, 2027.

What Happens Next

01Introduce measures for CBDC interoperability later this year.

02Full rollout of tokenized deposit spending in Q4 2026.

03Tokenized securities framework takes effect on February 4, 2027.

04Conduct 2027 pilot linking tokenized government bonds to CBDC infrastructure.

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How It Developed

South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance plans to update its state asset management system.

The new framework will explicitly include digital assets and intellectual property.

The ministry plans to tokenize government bonds on a blockchain as part of a 2027 pilot project.

The government also plans to explore tokenizing state-owned real estate.

South Korea's government unveiled its 2026 Economic Growth Strategy for the Second Half.

A pilot project will link tokenized government bonds to its central bank digital currency (CBDC) infrastructure in 2027.

Authorities plan to make the Bank of Korea's CBDC infrastructure interoperable with other blockchains.

A pilot project using tokenized deposits for government spending is set for a Q4 2026 rollout.

Sources

South Korea to bring digital assets under new state asset management systemSouth Korea’s Economy ministryplans to include digital assets and intellectual property under the country’s new state-asset management framework.Cointelegraph