South Korea Escalates Crypto Crackdown With Exchange Sanctions Over AML Lapses
South Korea's financial watchdog is tightening its grip on domestic crypto exchanges, preparing penalties for anti-money laundering failures. The Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) will sanction major platforms like Korbit, Gopax, Bithumb, and Coinone—following action against Dunamu's Upbit—with fines and institutional rebukes.
Inspections revealed systemic compliance gaps in Know Your Customer protocols and suspicious transaction reporting. The FIU's methodical enforcement signals a hardening stance as regulators seek to curb risks in one of Asia's most volatile crypto markets.