加密貨幣激勵主導韓國大選

在韓國即將舉行的國會選舉之前，韓國的主要政黨正在爭取精通加密貨幣的選民。反對黨民主黨承諾取消對持有加密代幣的國內外交易所交易基金（ETF）的限制，而總統尹錫烈領導的人民力量黨則承諾推遲徵收數位資產利得稅。

South Korea's Political Parties Engage in Cryptocurrency Incentives Battle Ahead of Parliamentary Elections

韓國政黨在議會選舉前就加密貨幣激勵措施展開鬥爭

As South Korea approaches its parliamentary elections, the country's major political parties are vying for voters' support by offering generous incentives tied to cryptocurrency. The opposition Democratic Party, sensing an opportunity to tap into the growing crypto-enthusiastic electorate, has unveiled plans to remove barriers to domestic and global exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that include crypto tokens. This move would directly challenge the stance of South Korea's securities regulator, which expressed concerns over the potential violation of domestic guidelines following the approval of Bitcoin ETFs in the United States in January.

隨著韓國議會選舉的臨近，該國的主要政黨正在透過提供與加密貨幣相關的慷慨激勵措施來爭取選民的支持。反對黨民主黨意識到有機會利用日益增長的加密貨幣熱情選民，因此公佈了消除對包括加密代幣在內的國內和全球交易所交易基金（ETF）障礙的計劃。此舉將直接挑戰韓國證券監管機構的立場，韓國證券監管機構對 1 月美國批准比特幣 ETF 後可能違反國內準則表示擔憂。

"We will make it possible for ETFs, regardless of whether they are domestic or overseas," declared Hwanseok Choi of the Democratic Party, referencing the group's manifesto.

民主黨的 Hwanseok Choi 在引用該組織的宣言時宣稱：“我們將使 ETF 成為可能，無論它們是在國內還是海外。”

Not to be outdone, President Yoon Suk Yeol's People Power Party has also thrown its hat into the crypto ring, promising to delay taxes on digital asset gains, which are currently scheduled to take effect in 2025.

韓國總統尹錫烈領導的人民力量黨也不甘示弱，也投身加密貨幣領域，承諾推遲對數位資產收益徵稅，目前計劃於 2025 年生效。

The political enthusiasm for cryptocurrencies reflects the growing popularity of digital assets in South Korea. According to government statistics, nearly six million South Koreans traded cryptocurrencies through registered exchanges in the first half of 2023, representing a significant 10% of the nation's population. Notably, a substantial 7% of election candidates have disclosed ownership of cryptocurrencies.

對加密貨幣的政治熱情反映了數位資產在韓國的日益普及。根據政府統計數據，2023 年上半年，近 600 萬韓國人透過註冊交易所交易加密貨幣，佔全國人口的 10%。值得注意的是，有 7% 的選舉候選人揭露了加密貨幣的所有權。

In a related development, Crypto.com, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, is expanding its operations in South Korea despite increased regulatory scrutiny. Data from Korea Securities Depository indicates that crypto investors have poured approximately $200 million into shares of US-listed MicroStrategy (MRST), a company with significant exposure to Bitcoin, leading some analysts to label it as "basically a leveraged Bitcoin ETF."

與此相關的是，儘管監管審查日益嚴格，但領先的加密貨幣交易所 Crypto.com 仍在擴大其在韓國的業務。韓國證券存託處的數據顯示，加密貨幣投資者已向美國上市公司MicroStrategy (MRST) 的股票投入了約2 億美元，該公司在比特幣方面擁有大量敞口，導致一些分析師將其標記為「基本上就是槓桿式比特幣ETF」。

Despite the political promises, South Koreans remain cautious about the potential for tighter cryptocurrency regulations. Regional financial authorities are preparing to introduce new guidelines for token listings on centralized exchanges in the coming weeks. According to local media reports, domestic exchanges may be prohibited from listing digital assets that have been affected by hacking incidents until their root causes are determined. Additionally, foreign digital assets may only be listed on domestic exchanges if a white paper or technical manual is available for local investors.

儘管做出了政治承諾，韓國人仍然對收緊加密貨幣監管的可能性持謹慎態度。地區金融當局正準備在未來幾週內推出關於集中交易所代幣上市的新準則。根據當地媒體報道，在確定其根本原因之前，可能會禁止國內交易所列出受駭客事件影響的數位資產。此外，只有在當地投資者可以獲得白皮書或技術手冊的情況下，外國數位資產才可能在國內交易所上市。

Furthermore, South Korea's impending Digital Asset Consumer Protection Act aims to prevent the use of "undisclosed material information" about cryptocurrencies, curb market manipulation, and combat illegal trading. The crypto law is slated to come into effect on July 19, 2024. In February, the government released an update to the Act, imposing substantial fines and criminal penalties for violations, including fixed-term imprisonment sentences of over one calendar year or fines of three to five times the amount of illicit profits.

此外，韓國即將出台的《數位資產消費者保護法》旨在防止使用有關加密貨幣的“未公開重大資訊”，遏制市場操縱並打擊非法交易。加密貨幣法預計於 2024 年 7 月 19 日生效。2 月，政府發布了該法的更新版，對違法行為處以巨額罰款和刑事處罰，包括一年以上有期徒刑或罰款違法行為所得數額的三至五倍。

While the outcome of South Korea's parliamentary elections remains uncertain, the political parties' embrace of cryptocurrencies serves as a testament to the growing importance of digital assets in the country. As the regulatory landscape evolves and voters cast their ballots, it remains to be seen whether promises of crypto-friendly policies will translate into electoral success.

儘管韓國議會選舉的結果仍不確定，但各政黨對加密貨幣的接受證明了數位資產在該國日益重要。隨著監管環境的發展和選民的投票，加密貨幣友善政策的承諾是否會轉化為選舉的成功還有待觀察。