What to know:
- Circle (USDC) and Dunamu (Upbit) signed an MOU to collaborate on stablecoins and digital assets, enhancing transparency and trust in South Korea’s market.
- Partnership aims to increase liquidity, reduce volatility exposure, and improve cross-border payments, with USDC integration into Upbit’s systems.
- Collaboration ensures compliance with South Korea’s Virtual Asset User Protection Act, positioning USDC as a regulated foreign stablecoin in the market.

Circle, the company that issues USDC, has entered into a detailed memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Dunamu, which runs Upbit, South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. By this alliance, they would work together on stablecoins and other types of digital assets to increase transparency and trust in the Korean market for digital assets.
Partnership Details
The MOU sets forth numerous major areas for cooperation, among them are the technological incorporation of USDC in Upbit’s trading pairs and wallet systems, the joint handling of regulatory compliance matters with South Korean financial authorities, as well as the issuance of market education about stablecoin utility and security.
This collaboration is set to bring about an increase in liquidity for cryptocurrency trading pairs against stable assets in the market, lowering the risks of price changes due to traders’ exposure to volatility, and enhancing the solutions for cross-border payments.
Also Read: Circle mints 250M USDC, totals 10.5B on Solana in 30 days
Regulatory Landscape
South Korean financial regulators keep a watchful eye on cryptocurrency-related activities, and this collaboration is a proof point of Circle’s desire to construct a seamless financial platform while at the same time ensuring compliance with regulators.
According to the country’s Virtual Asset User Protection Act, stablecoin activities can be regulated more effectively, thereby paving the way for USDC as a properly regulated foreign stablecoin.
Also Read: Circle Expands Stablecoin Payment Service in Asia with Circle Mint Singapore in 2026
Market Implications
The use of USDC on major crypto exchanges in South Korea may lower the dependence on bank connections for the conversion of Korean won to cryptos and also offer a stable point of entry to DeFi applications for South Korean users. The move also mirrors South Korea’s overall endeavor to become a stablecoin hub in Asia after the government’s announcement to delay the CBDC rollout.
Also Read: Stablecoins Move Toward Dominance, Threatening to Disrupt Global Payment





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