Regulation· ★★★★· neutral·

South Korea's 22% crypto tax stays on track for January 2027

  • —The 22% rate combines 20% national and local income tax on gains above a 2.5 million won annual deduction
  • —The bill ties the start to CARF data exchanges rather than setting a fixed 2029 deadline
  • —The National Tax Service expects to issue detailed guidance around November 2026
  • —Exchanges want clarity on staking rewards, airdrops, hard forks and DeFi transactions
Why it matters: The outcome sets the tax burden for Korean traders and could delay implementation to 2029 if CARF reporting begins in 2027.
Source: The Cryptonomist