South Korea FIU Fines Korbit $1.9 Million Over AML Violations

South Korea’s FIU fined Korbit $1.9 million after uncovering widespread AML violations, KYC breaches, and unregistered overseas transactions.

South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit sanctioned Korbit following a detailed inspection of its compliance systems. The regulator issued the action on December 31. Consequently, the country’s fourth-largest crypto exchange got penalized for repeated violations of anti-money laundering laws. The decision focused on increased oversight in the domestic crypto sector.

FIU Identifies Widespread Compliance Failures at Korbit

According to the FIU, the inspectors discovered violations of the Specific Financial Information Act. As a result, Korbit was given an institutional warning and a KRW 2.73 billion fine. This amount is equivalent to some $1.9 million. Regulators said failures continued in customer verification and transaction monitoring systems.

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The on-site inspection took place in October 2024 and uncovered almost 22.000 breaches. Most of the violations were for failure to trade without completed know your customer checks. Therefore, unverified users accessed trading services many times over. The FIU said such practices undermined fundamental AML safeguards.

In addition, regulators found failures in risk assessment procedures. Korbit failed to adequately test new services before implementing them. Specifically, 655 violations were found relating to non-fungible token offerings. Consequently, mandatory money laundering risk reviews were not followed.

The FIU also raised red flags of cross-border compliance issues. Inspectors detected 19 transactions between three unregistered overseas virtual asset service providers. Under South Korean law, such transfers are limited. Therefore, such actions violated transaction control requirements.

Documentation failures worsened the findings even further. Incomplete or unclear identification documents were accepted by Korbit for its customers. Moreover, high-risk users were not reverified as required. These lapses created more exposure to the risks of illicit financial activity.

Beyond financial sanctions, the FIU imposed disciplinary sanctions on leadership. The exchange received an institutional warning as to the effect on operational standing. Meanwhile, the chief executive officer was warned in writing. The compliance reporting officer was also given an official reprimand.

Enforcement Signals Tighter Oversight of South Korea’s Crypto Market

The Korbit sanction is in line with a larger enforcement trend in South Korea. Recently, the FIU fined Upbit some $25 million for similar systemic failures. Therefore, regulators seem to be interested in uniform enforcement between big exchanges. Market players are increasingly anticipating harsher inspections.

The timing of this also coincides with corporate developments at Korbit. Reports claim the exchange is in acquisition talks with Mirae Asset. The potential deal could put Korbit’s value at up to $98 million. Consequently, regulatory compliance might be a factor in transaction negotiations.

Industry observers point out that AML enforcement now has an influence on competitive positioning. Exchanges with weaker controls are at risk of reputational and operational risks. Meanwhile, compliant platforms may gain institutional confidence. This dynamic could alter market shares at home.

South Korea is still one of the most active crypto markets in Asia. Retail participation remains strong regardless of tightening regulation. Therefore, the authorities try to balance innovation and financial integrity. Recent actions signal tolerance for compliance gaps.

The FIU said enforcement is for the protection of users and financial systems. Regulators stressed that the growth of the crypto market is dependent on transparency and accountability. As oversight increases, exchanges have to invest in compliance infrastructure.

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