Spot crypto is legal in South Korea and sits inside a registration regime with two layers. On top of that, the Act on the Protection of Virtual Asset Users took effect on 19 July 2024 and added protection of user deposits and assets, rules against unfair trading such as price manipulation, and supervisory and sanctioning powers over VASPs. The regime is still tightening: on 11 August 2026 the cabinet approved a revision to the Enforcement Decree imposing stricter registration requirements and enhanced AML duties on VASPs.
A perpetual on XLM tracks price and does not confer ownership of the underlying — the same contract mechanics apply in every jurisdiction; what differs by country is legal status and funding rails.
7 venues open Stellar perps to traders in South Korea.
ApeX
Aster
gTrade
Helix
Hyperliquid
LighterFour steps from sign-up to an open position.
A 22% tax applies to annual crypto gains exceeding 2.5 million KRW (approximately $1,740), effective January 1, 2027.
Trading XLM from South Korea: legal.
Regulator for Stellar trading in South Korea: Financial Services Commission (FSC), with the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (KoFIU) as the registration and AML authority.
For South Korea residents trading Stellar: A 22% tax applies to annual crypto gains exceeding 2.5 million KRW (approximately $1,740), effective January 1, 2027.
13 platforms serve South Korea for Stellar trading, among them ApeX, Aster and dYdX.