South Korea proposes mandatory asset and compensation disclosure for crypto influencers

The bill would require disclosure of personal crypto holdings and payments received for promoting investment ideas.

South Korea proposes mandatory asset disclosure for crypto influencers

25.02.2026 - 12:25

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2 min

Key points:

Influencers would be required to disclose their assets and compensation.
Amendments have been proposed to the Capital Markets Act and the Virtual Asset User Protection Act.
Violations would be treated as offenses comparable to securities market misconduct.

Kim Seung-won, a lawmaker from South Korea’s ruling party, has proposed amendments to the Capital Markets Act and the Virtual Asset User Protection Act. The bill introduces new requirements for bloggers and content creators who regularly publish investment recommendations related to cryptocurrencies and other financial instruments.

Under the proposal, such individuals would be required to disclose any compensation received for promoting specific assets, as well as report the type and volume of their own crypto holdings and financial instruments. The detailed disclosure requirements would be defined in a separate presidential decree.

What penalties are proposed?

The proposal calls for sanctions comparable to those applied to capital markets violations, including price manipulation and insider trading.

According to the bill’s sponsor, the amendments are necessary due to the growing number of conflicts of interest and the spread of misleading information on social media. Authorities have cited cases in which influencers shared inaccurate claims while trading in their own interest, resulting in investor losses.

The initiative aligns with a broader global trend toward tighter oversight of financial product promotions. In the United Kingdom, the Financial Conduct Authority has already restricted the marketing of financial instruments and introduced specific rules for crypto asset promotions. In the United States, the Securities and Exchange Commission has fined public figures for promoting cryptocurrencies without disclosing the compensation they received.

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