[New Year's Address] Korea Fintech Industry Association Chairman Lee Geunju: "Promoting Regulatory Improvements for Digital Assets and AI"

2026 Byeongo Year New Year's Address

Lee Geunju, Chairman of the Korea Fintech Industry Association, announced plans to promote regulatory improvements related to digital assets, including stablecoins, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Lee Geunju, Chairman of the Korea Fintech Industry Association, is giving an interview to The Asia Business Daily. Photo by Yoon Dongju

On January 2, in his New Year's address, Chairman Lee stated, "This year, we will systematically address key institutional issues encompassing digital assets, payment and settlement, AI, data, and platforms. We will work to ensure these efforts lead to tangible regulatory improvements through consultations with the National Assembly and government."

Chairman Lee assessed that the fintech industry underwent a period of transition last year. He predicted that this year, such changes will move beyond experimentation and become industry standards.

He explained, "Token securities and stablecoins based on distributed ledger technology are fundamentally transforming the issuance, trading, and settlement methods in the capital market, as well as the payment and settlement structure. The entire financial industry is now moving to a new stage, not just experiencing individual technological changes."

He added, "For these changes to translate into competitiveness, the institutional environment must also evolve. We will gather the concerns of our member companies and place them at the center of policy discussions, working closely and diligently with relevant agencies to achieve both public values such as financial stability and the growth of the fintech industry."

Chairman Lee also stated, "The Korea Fintech Industry Association will stand by its member companies to ensure that fintech innovation reduces burdens and creates more opportunities for all users, including small business owners and financially vulnerable groups."