As the debate over cryptocurrency taxation reignites, a recent survey reveals that nearly half of Korean digital asset investors want the new government to defer or exempt crypto taxes, making it the top policy demand among retail participants.
In a joint weekly poll conducted by crypto community platform Kratos and digital asset media outlet Coinness, 48.8% of respondents answered that “deferring or exempting crypto taxation” should be the new administration’s primary policy priority for the virtual asset sector.
This response far outpaced other options such as stronger investor protections (25.9%), deregulating ICOs and ETFs (13.0%), promoting Security Token Offerings (6.5%), and introducing a Korean won-based stablecoin (5.8%).
Participants expressed concern not just about the tax burden itself, but the lack of clear standards, administrative preparedness, and the risk of market contraction. Many argued that rebuilding investor confidence and clarifying regulatory frameworks should come before any taxation measures.
The results come at a critical time, as the new administration is preparing follow-up initiatives to the Digital Asset Basic Act, a sweeping legislative package aiming to overhaul Korea’s digital asset regulations. Under current law, a 20% capital gains tax on annual crypto profits exceeding 2.5 million KRW is scheduled to take effect in 2025, though its implementation has faced delays and pushback due to practical and infrastructure challenges.
Survey responses suggest the public expects the government to prioritize regulatory clarity and consumer protection over tax enforcement. Moreover, with Korea set to join global tax-sharing frameworks like the OECD’s Common Reporting Standard (CRS), international tax alignment could bring added pressure and complexity to national crypto tax policy.
The same poll also gauged market sentiment. 41.7% of respondents forecast that Bitcoin prices will “rise or surge” in the coming week, while 33.0% predicted a decline. Market sentiment was split across neutral (37.0%), optimistic (30.6%), and fearful (32.4%)—indicating continued uncertainty among retail investors.
