Highlights:
- Upbit faces scrutiny for 600,000 suspected KYC violations during its license renewal review.
- Regulators link Upbit’s compliance issues to its dominant market position, raising competition concerns.
- Despite investigations, Upbit is expanding its trading options, listing new tokens like PEPE and DRIFT.
Upbit, a crypto exchange in South Korea is under investigation by South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). Regulators have unearthed that the exchange lacked sufficient protocols in the implementation of the Know Your Customer (KYC) rule. These concerns were raised while Upbit was undergoing the review of its business license renewal. The FIU identified between 500,000 and 600,000 transactions for potential KYC violations.
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The South Korean government has discovered that Upbit, South Korea's largest exchange, has suspected large-scale KYC violations, with about 500,000 to 600,000 copies suspected to be unrecognizable and may be used for money laundering or other criminal activities.…
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) November 15, 2024
The exchange allegedly accepted blurred and illegible customer IDs. These included obscured names and registration numbers, making proper identification impossible. South Korean law requires strict KYC measures to prevent money laundering and other financial crimes. Upbit’s failure to comply raises significant concerns about its operational practices.
Authorities claim that the use of accounts that are not verified raises the likelihood of illegal activities. These accounts could be used to commit fraud or engage in money laundering. As for now, more potential violations are under consideration as the investigation progresses.
Blurred IDs and Minimal Verification Spark Regulatory Alarm
The alleged noncompliance reveals vulnerabilities in the firm’s verification procedures. The platform has been accused of enabling customers to open accounts without going through the proper identification procedures. These moves are a clear violation of the country’s anti-money laundering measures.
The FIU requires crypto exchanges to adhere to AML and KYC standards fully. This includes insisting that the user create a real-name account and provide legitimate identification documents. These failures could lead to severe penalties. Each KYC violation carries a fine of up to 100 million Korean won ($71,500). With hundreds of thousands of violations, the total fines could be of a high amount.
Market Dominance Investigation Adds Pressure
Apart from the KYC violations, the platform is currently under regulatory investigation over its market dominance. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) is concerned about its dominance in the local cryptocurrency market.
South Korea Launches Probe into Upbit Monopoly in Crypto Market
🔍 South Korea’s FSC investigates Upbit’s market dominance, citing concerns over its partnership with K-Bank, which holds 20% of its deposits. 📊
💬 FSC Chairman: Review on monopoly structure is underway.… pic.twitter.com/PyDmMnMfy2— Live BTC News (@LiveBTCNews) October 12, 2024
They are also investigating the firm’s close relationship with K-Bank. Reports suggest that 20% of K-Bank’s deposits are linked to Upbit’s cryptocurrency transactions. This heavy reliance raises questions about market fairness and competition.
The FSC is also examining whether Upbit’s practices violate anti-monopoly regulations. Moreover, the investigation includes a review of the exchange’s trading volume and business operations. Upbit controls almost 80% of the cryptocurrency market and has the largest deposits made by users.
Both the KYC and market dominance investigations place Upbit under intense regulatory pressure. These cases could influence future regulatory policies for virtual asset service providers in the country.
New Upbit Listings Amid Regulatory Scrutiny
Upbit is expanding its trading portfolio despite ongoing investigations. On November 14, the exchange added the memecoin PEPE to its KRW market. Trading commenced with several limitations in place to avoid sharp fluctuations.
The platform has also added DRIFT tokens to its product portfolio recently. The token is now available for trading with KRW, Bitcoin (BTC), and Tether (USDT) market pairs. These new listings are intended to provide users with more trading opportunities.
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