South Korea is accelerating the introduction of tokenized securities as part of a large-scale capital market reform.
The financial market regulator of South Korea — the Financial Services Commission (FSC) — has officially included the infrastructure for tokenized securities in the strategic plan for modernizing the capital market. This is not just about pilot projects, but about the full-scale implementation of technology designed to accelerate settlements and extend trading hours for investors.
The details of implementing the new instrument will be developed through a public-private council led by the FSC Vice Chairman. The council includes key players: the Central Securities Depository, the Korea Exchange, and the IT division of Samsung SDS. This configuration indicates a systematic approach by the authorities and the readiness of businesses to participate in restructuring the infrastructure.
Specific timelines and stages
According to the approved roadmap, by October of this year, the government must prepare a plan to shorten the settlement cycle. The main regulatory framework for tokenized securities will come into effect in February 2027, following the adoption of subordinate legislation and the launch of the corresponding infrastructure. Notably, the basic amendments to the legislation were approved by the National Assembly of South Korea back in January 2026 — this created the legal foundation for further steps.
Expert opinion. South Korea is once again demonstrating that it does not intend to lag behind global trends in asset tokenization. The participation of Samsung SDS in the project is a powerful signal to the market: traditional IT giants see tokenized securities technology not as a temporary hype, but as a long-term opportunity to optimize the financial system. If the schedule is adhered to, by 2027 we will see one of the most advanced and regulated infrastructures for digital securities in Asia. However, the key risk is the technical readiness of the exchange and the depository to transition to new settlement standards, especially under tight deadlines.