South Korea Launches Blockchain Deposit Token Pilot for Government Payments Starting Q4 2026

Gate News message, April 16 — South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance has approved a blockchain-based deposit token pilot project under the 2026 regulatory sandbox program, set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 in Sejong City, the nation’s administrative capital.

The pilot will replace traditional government purchase cards with digital tokens issued by commercial banks for government ministry business expenses. Unlike credit cards, these deposit tokens are programmable, allowing the government to restrict usage to specific hours (such as 9 AM to 6 PM) or specific industries (such as transportation). This feature aims to prevent misuse of public funds and reduce audits for after-hours or weekend spending. The system also eliminates intermediaries like Visa and Mastercard, removing commission fees (typically 1-3%) that small business owners currently pay to card companies.

This is the second deployment of the technology; the Ministry previously launched a pilot using deposit tokens to pay subsidies for electric vehicle charging stations. If successful, the current pilot will expand nationwide.

The initiative aligns with South Korea’s broader digital currency strategy. Shin Hyun-song, the nominee for Governor of the Bank of Korea (BOK), stated in a written response to the National Assembly that deposit tokens and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) should be the “core” of the digital currency ecosystem, prioritizing trust and stability over privately issued virtual assets. Commercial banks are actively preparing infrastructure; KB Financial Group partnered with Circle to explore issuing a Korean Won stablecoin, while Shinhan Financial and Hana Financial are reportedly in talks with Samsung Electronics to integrate stablecoin payments into Samsung Pay.