- South Korea’s FSC halts crypto lending services for exchanges.
- Affects major exchanges like Upbit and Bithumb.
- Regulation aims to protect investors and stabilize the market.
South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) has mandated the suspension of crypto lending by domestic exchanges, including Upbit and Bithumb, effective August 19, 2025, amid rising investor losses.
This regulatory move underscores the volatility of crypto lending and seeks to safeguard retail investors, with major cryptocurrencies like BTC, ETH, XRP, and USDT facing disruption.
South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) has mandated that domestic cryptocurrency exchanges halt all crypto lending activities starting August 19, 2025. This decision follows significant growth in lending services and losses due to market volatility.
Key parties include the FSC as the regulator and primary exchanges such as Upbit and Bithumb. These leading platforms must comply with the newly issued mandates, seeking to ensure greater investor protection.
Immediate Impact
The immediate impact halts lending products involving Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Ripple (XRP), and Tether (USDT). Retail investors face changes affecting funds amid halted lending services and potential liquidation of positions.
Economically, around 1.1 billion USD in borrowed assets faces suspension, causing liquidity challenges within exchanges. This regulatory focus underscores Korea’s cautious stance towards volatile crypto financial products. South Korea halts crypto lending amid $1.1B boom.
Echoes of previous regulatory decisions can be seen in this move, reflective of past conservative responses to financial uncertainties. The emphasis remains on structuring more comprehensive guidelines to supervise evolving crypto markets effectively.
The services exist in a legal gray area and pose a high risk of user losses… The measures will remain in effect until new regulatory guidelines — the ‘Virtual Asset Rental Service Guidelines’ — are developed and implemented. – Financial Services Commission (FSC), South Korea’s principal financial regulator Source
Regulatory Implications
The suspension’s regulatory implications point towards possible stricter oversight on lending in the future. Data shows a history of similar measures taken in various markets, indicating a trend towards formalization of crypto financial services.
