Financial news

South Korea to impose new curbs on cryptocurrency trading

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s government said on Thursday it will impose additional measures to regulate speculation in cryptocurrency trading within the country.

“The government had warned several times that virtual coins cannot play a role as actual currency and could result in high losses due to excessive volatility,” the government said in a statement.

It noted that trading prices of most virtual currencies were much higher on South Korean exchanges than they were on exchanges in other countries, although it did not provide specific examples.

The steps will include a ban on opening anonymous cryptocurrency accounts and new legislation to allow regulators to close virtual coin exchanges if needed, a measure recommended by the justice ministry, the statement said.

South Korea had previously announced its plan to tax capital gains from cryptocurrency trading to tackle what it sees as the risk of excessive speculation.

Bitcoin, the world’s biggest and best-known cryptocurrency, has gained more than 19-fold this year.

In South Korea, bitcoin has been extremely popular, drawing wide participation from housewives and students. As of 0304 GMT, it stood at $14,384 on the Luxembourg-based Bitstamp exchange.

Daniel Williams

Daniel Williams is an experienced editor specializing in cryptocurrencies for the Financial Magazine. He is highly educated with a degree in mathematics science and a master’s in management from the prestigious London School of Economics. With a strong background in journalism, he has worked as a TV journalist and later as an editor at various financial publications.

Daniel has a keen interest in new technology and is always looking for innovative ways to approach the world of cryptocurrencies. He is known for his insightful analysis of market trends and has an exceptional ability to communicate complex concepts in an easy-to-understand manner.

Daniel’s passion for cryptocurrencies is evident in his work and he is highly respected in the industry. He is constantly researching new developments in the field and is always up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies.