The Financial Services Commission (FSC) of South Korea has announced a formal investigation into transaction fees charged by major domestic cryptocurrency exchanges, marking the first concrete move toward fulfilling President Lee Jae-myung’s campaign pledge to lower digital asset trading costs.
Unveiled on June 19 during a policy report to the State Affairs Planning Committee, the initiative will focus on collecting detailed data from top exchanges, including Upbit, Bithumb, and Coinone. The FSC plans to assess how these platforms structure their fees, how they are calculated, and the financial impact on users. This comprehensive survey aims to determine whether current transaction fees are excessive and to compare them with international norms.
SOUTH KOREA LAUNCHES PROBE INTO CRYPTO EXCHANGE FEES
Regulators to investigate high transaction fees charged by local digital asset exchanges.
President Lee Jae-myung promised fee reductions during his campaign.
Scrutiny comes amid growing retail participation and market…
— CryptoEdge (@EdGeraldX) June 19, 2025
To guide this analysis, a senior FSC official noted that the study will incorporate global best practices. While the commission has not yet proposed a specific fee cap, it will benchmark international examples and weigh domestic user convenience to shape policy recommendations.
This initiative is widely seen as a foundation for broader regulatory reform. During his presidential campaign, President Lee pledged to slash virtual asset transaction fees from the current standard of 0.05% to 0.015%—a reduction aimed at alleviating financial pressure on retail investors, particularly younger generations. This promise aligns with a larger initiative to support youth asset formation in the digital economy.
Moreover, the FSC’s investigation signals a strategic shift in South Korea’s approach to crypto regulation. By prioritizing fee transparency and user protection, the government appears increasingly committed to creating a fairer, more competitive market for digital assets.
The timing is notable as the country’s crypto sector continues to grow and attract both institutional and retail participation. The findings from this probe are likely to influence future regulatory frameworks and reshape industry standards. In parallel, the Democratic Party has also proposed a bill to legalize stablecoin issuance by local firms, underscoring South Korea’s accelerating push to modernize its digital finance ecosystem.
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