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South Korea’s inventory market has been supercharged by an investor frenzy over won-based digital cash this month, following newly elected President Lee Jae-myung’s pledge to permit crypto property backed by the nationwide foreign money.
Shares which have been concerned within the Bank of Korea’s digital foreign money mission, together with Kakao Pay and LG CNS, have been on a wild experience. Kakao Pay shares greater than doubled this month and LG CNS rose nearly 70 per cent, earlier than paring some beneficial properties this week on profit-taking.
On the Kosdaq junior market, fintech safety firm Aton’s inventory jumped 80 per cent, whereas ME2ON, a cell recreation producer, tripled, with its subsidiary lately launching a dollar-pegged stablecoin for on line casino video games.
The wave of retail enthusiasm for the possible issuance of won-based stablecoins, together with expectations of shareholder-friendly insurance policies from the new government, has helped increase the benchmark Kospi Composite index nearly 30 per cent this yr to a close to four-year excessive. It has additionally made South Korea the best-performing market in Asia within the first half of the yr.
The market rally has inspired retail traders to extend their leverage to chase beneficial properties, with excellent margin loans rising to Won20.5tn ($15bn), in accordance with knowledge from the Korea Monetary Funding Affiliation.
The recognition of shares seen as probably benefiting from won-based stablecoins comes regardless of the federal government having but to announce the small print of its cryptocurrency insurance policies.
Expectations had been fuelled by Lee’s appointment of Kim Yong-beom, a longtime advocate of digital tokens, as his chief coverage adviser, and by a parliamentary invoice proposed by the ruling occasion this month to advertise the nation’s digital asset business.
The invoice will enable firms with as little as Won500mn in fairness capital to challenge won-based stablecoins — a transfer critics warn may open the floodgates to undercapitalised gamers and trigger systemic dangers.
South Korea is without doubt one of the world’s most vibrant crypto markets, with a couple of fifth of the nation’s inhabitants buying and selling digital property. US dollar-pegged stablecoins buying and selling within the nation hit Won57tn within the first three months of this yr, piling stress on the Financial institution of Korea to speed up preparations to challenge its personal digital currencies.
Banks, brokerages and fintech firms are displaying sturdy curiosity in coming into the enterprise, though the federal government is but to resolve on the issuers and timing.
“We’re eager to do the enterprise, however we’re watching out for the place the federal government attracts the road when it comes to regulation,” mentioned a fintech business govt.
Financial institution of Korea governor Rhee Chang-yong has expressed concern about any issuance of won-pegged stablecoins by non-bank entities, citing their impact on capital flows and the effectiveness of financial coverage. The central financial institution has mentioned it should seek the advice of main industrial banks on getting ready a second pilot check of its digital foreign money.
Nonetheless, consultants have warned that some shares pushed greater by surging curiosity in digital tokens could also be overvalued primarily based on their fundamentals. They’ve urged traders to train warning as a result of volatility of the shares.
“Received-pegged stablecoins are more likely to be launched, however how a lot that can assist increase company earnings is questionable,” mentioned Hwang Sei-woon, senior analysis fellow at Korea Capital Market Institute.
“Investor expectations appear to be overblown, given nonetheless excessive regulatory uncertainties. And a number of the high-flying firms nonetheless lack the required applied sciences and infrastructure for stablecoins,” he added.
