Close to 20% of South Korea’s public officials have indicated that they own crypto.
Moreover, as per recent government disclosures, much of their investments consist of altcoins such as Ripple’s XRP. This is based on data from the nation’s Ethics Committee, which compels officials to disclose their digital assets under the law of financial openness.
Crypto Holdings Among Government Officials Total $9.3 Million
Of 2,047 officials who filed financial disclosures, 411 said they own cryptocurrency, according to reports. Their total holdings are worth 14.4 billion won ($9.3 million). The disclosure system, put in place to increase transparency, requires public officials to include crypto assets in their disclosures along with conventional properties like real estate and stocks.
Among the holders who revealed their digital assets, a Seoul City Council member, Kim Hye-young, is the biggest holder. His portfolio, which includes 16 various cryptocurrencies, is worth about 1.76 billion won ($1.1 million). Crypto investments also reach his family, with his wife owning Ethereum (ETH) and Dogecoin (DOGE), and his oldest son owning 3,336 XRP tokens.
Seoul City Councilor Choi Min-gyu comes second as the second-largest owner, with his crypto holdings amounting to 1.62 billion won ($1 million). His holdings comprise 409,551 XRP, 9,402 Arbitrum (ARB), and 4,701 Cardano (ADA), reflecting a strong inclination toward altcoins.
Kim Ki-hwan, CEO of Busan-Ulsan Expressway Co., Ltd, comes in third, with investments valued at 1.42 billion won ($969,000). In contrast to most of his fellow responders who are invested in widely recognized cryptocurrencies, his portfolio skews toward lesser-known altcoins such as 152,251 Terra Luna Classic (LUNC). He also holds 5,979 Challengedocs, 1,989 Horus Pays, and 2,989 EOS Blacks.
Altcoins Over Bitcoin: XRP Still in Demand
Even though South Korea has a stringent regulatory strategy for digital assets, most of its officials are more inclined toward altcoins compared to Bitcoin (BTC). XRP is especially favored by government officials and their relatives, who mention it frequently in their disclosure reports. The token, linked to cross-border payments and banks, has been very popular among the country’s crypto community.
This is the second year that South Korea has seen mandatory crypto asset reporting by public officials, as highlighted last week. It serves as a testament to the growing adoption of digital currencies in the nation’s financial system. The reports shed light on investment patterns among government officials and indicate wider adoption outside the retail trader and institution segments.
Whilst, investors are eagerly waiting for XRP as the SEC prepares to officially withdraw its appeal of the programmatic sales ruling. If true, this action would be a significant legal win for XRP and potentially redefine its future in the cryptosphere.
In the meantime, Ripple has also eliminated their cross-appeal, thus removing further regulatory roadblocks. This aside, XRP has not returned to its January high of $3.3999. However, it’s subject to change with increasing speculation regarding a U.S. XRP ETF, which would dramatically impact market forces, driving further demand, as mentioned in our last newspiece.