South Korea's Ministry of Finance and Economy is drafting a new law that would bring cryptocurrencies under the country's state asset management system. The National Asset Basic Act, as it will be known, aims to extend state asset management to cover intellectual property and virtual assets alongside traditional property.
The current State Property Act, enacted in 1950, focuses on real estate and no longer reflects the full range of assets held by the government. The new legislation would shift the government's posture from one focused on preservation and basic development to one centered on generating value from state-held assets.
As part of its broader economic agenda for the second half of 2026, the ministry has also outlined plans to continue developing a central bank digital currency project and pass the Digital Asset Basic Act. The latter is designed to create a dedicated legal structure for South Korea's private-sector crypto and stablecoin industry.