Tether and Circle to Meet South Korea’s Top Bank CEOs to Discuss Stablecoin Partnerships
Leading stablecoin issuers Tether and Circle are scheduled to hold high‑level meetings with the chiefs of South Korea’s four largest banking groups this week to explore potential partnerships and market access. The discussions will center on how dollar‑pegged stablecoins could be distributed in Korea and on plans to issue won‑pegged stablecoins in the domestic market.
According to local reports, Circle’s president Heath Tarbert is due to meet Shinhan Financial Group CEO Jin Ok‑dong and Hana Financial Group CEO Ham Young‑joo on Friday, while an unnamed Tether representative is also expected to meet with Hana’s leadership. Executives from KB Financial Group and Woori Bank are likewise reported to be arranging talks with Circle during the same period. These meetings involve the banks commonly referred to as Korea’s “big four.”
The outreach comes as South Korea advances toward a formal regulatory framework for stablecoins and as commercial banks accelerate their own preparations. Recent activity has included trademark filings and pilot projects by major banks and fintech firms, and local authorities have signaled plans to legislate rules that would govern won‑backed tokens. At the same time, regulators and the central bank have voiced caution about foreign exchange and systemic risks tied to widespread stablecoin adoption.
These Korean meetings follow a string of high‑level engagements by the two issuers globally — including participation in U.S. policy forums and outreach to lawmakers — as stablecoin regulation and adoption become a priority for governments and financial institutions alike. Observers say the talks in Seoul reflect both the commercial interest of global stablecoin providers and a broader push by Korean banks to secure roles in the emerging domestic stablecoin market.
