{"id":417095,"date":"2020-03-05T20:00:55","date_gmt":"2020-03-05T20:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wncen.com\/?p=417095"},"modified":"2020-03-05T19:50:24","modified_gmt":"2020-03-05T19:50:24","slug":"its-bullish-for-bitcoin-but-crypto-was-already-legal-in-south-korea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wncen.com\/news\/its-bullish-for-bitcoin-but-crypto-was-already-legal-in-south-korea\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s Bullish for Bitcoin But Crypto was Already Legal in South Korea"},"content":{"rendered":"
Crypto markets are in the green today with leading digital currency Bitcoin gaining around 4 percent over the last 24 hours. The reason behind the sudden pump after a lull in the markets appears to be news out of South Korea.<\/a><\/p>\n Earlier today, lawmakers made amendments to the nation’s financial regulations regarding crypto. Many publications, crypto and otherwise, have reported that crypto is now “legal” in South Korea.<\/p>\n One of the most active cryptocurrency markets on the planet received some rather bullish news earlier today. The nation of South Korea made amendments to financial regulations that will provide much greater clarity for both crypto asset traders and the companies offering such services.<\/p>\n Although clarity for South Korean crypto traders and the exchanges they use is certainly bullish, both cryptocurrency media and more mainstream publications have blown the story somewhat out of proportion. For example, a report in The News Asia<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>ran with the bold headline “Cryptocurrency Now Fully Legal in South Korea.”<\/p>\n The change, according to legislation<\/a>, is an effort to clampdown on money laundering and terrorist financing. It will require that all cryptocurrency exchanges enforce know-your-customer checks on traders. The trading venues will also need to comply with stricter reporting obligations.<\/p>\n The amendment to the Act on Reporting and Use of Specific Financial Information, which passed on Thursday, will go into full force within 18 months of today. It comes after two long years <\/a>of uncertainty for traders and companies in the South Korean crypto industry.<\/p>\n As NewsBTC<\/em> reported at the time, lawmakers in the nation first mused<\/a> such changes in 2018. The slow progress has surely impacted the ability of the nation’s blockchain<\/a> industry to grow.<\/p>\nWait, When Was Crypto Illegal in South Korea?<\/h2>\n