South Korea weighs education tax that could cost Upbit and Bithumb billions of won

South Korea is considering a new education tax on cryptocurrency exchanges that could force major operators like Upbit and Bithumb to pay billions of won annually if they are reclassified as financial businesses under the proposed Digital Asset Basic Act. The move signals tighter fiscal treatment of domestic exchanges and could raise operating costs for the country's largest trading venues. Traders should watch whether the reclassification advances, since higher compliance costs could affect Korean exchange fees and liquidity.