South Korea Pauses CBDC Experiment as Banks Pivot Aggressively Toward Stablecoins

Seoul hits the brakes on its digital won trials—while private banks double down on dollar-pegged alternatives.

Why the sudden shift? Korean regulators are waking up to what crypto natives knew years ago: stablecoins move faster than bureaucratic sandboxes.

The won’s loss is USDC’s gain. Major Korean banks are now racing to integrate compliant stablecoins—cutting settlement times from days to seconds. One exec joked: ‘We’d rather deal with Circle than the Ministry of Strategy.’

Behind the scenes: The BIS partnership quietly shelved, three pilot districts scrapped, and a rumored $200M reallocation to private-sector blockchain projects.

Last line? CBDCs had their 15 minutes. Now watch Seoul’s finance giants do what they do best—chase yield with someone else’s tech.

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Michaela has no crypto positions and does not hold any crypto assets. This article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The Shib Magazine and The Shib Daily are the official media and publications of the Shiba Inu cryptocurrency project. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial adviser before making any investment decisions.