A public petition seeking to delay South Korea’s crypto tax by two years has gathered 50,000 signatures, according to a September 14, 2026 report by crypto.news. The tax is currently scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.

The petition asks lawmakers to postpone the start date before the tax comes into force. It is a request, however, rather than an approved change to the tax schedule. The available information does not show that any delay has been approved or that a new implementation date has been set.

Petition seeks two-year postponement

The reported signature count is 50,000. That figure comes from the crypto.news report, while the original parliamentary petition page could not be read directly, meaning the total has not been independently confirmed. The signatures indicate interest from some investors but do not represent every crypto holder in South Korea.

The petition seeks to push the tax back by two years. It does not call for the tax to be abolished; its stated aim is to provide additional time before the rules apply.

A petition does not itself amend the law or change the tax timetable. Crypto.news reported that submitting a petition to a committee does not amend South Korea’s Income Tax Act or automatically postpone the tax. Committee review is therefore a procedural step rather than a decision.

Tax rules scheduled for 2027

South Korea’s National Tax Service says a law passed in December 2024 already postponed crypto income taxation by two years. Under that law, transfers and lending from January 1, 2027, become taxable. The National Tax Service provides information on the rules here.

The framework includes a 20% national tax rate on the crypto income tax base and an annual basic deduction of 2,500,000 South Korean won, described in the source as about 250만원. Reporting by crypto.news adds a 2% local tax, producing a combined rate of 22% on crypto gains beginning in 2027.

The tax authority says residents must combine their gains and losses for the year and report the total as “other income” from May 1 through May 31 of the following year.

The rules also address acquisition costs for people who already hold crypto. Costs are calculated using the total-average method (총평균법), under which all purchases are averaged together. For assets held before January 1, 2027, the acquisition cost is the greater of the actual purchase price or the asset’s market value on December 31, 2026.

Current status of the tax timeline

Based on the available information, the petition confirms only that a request for a two-year delay has been submitted and has reportedly received 50,000 signatures. It does not establish that the request has been accepted or that the tax start date has changed.

For now, South Korea’s crypto tax remains scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027, with returns filed during the following May. The development comes as the country continues tightening its crypto-related rules, including stricter transfer-reporting requirements. Unless the petition results in an approved legislative change, the existing schedule remains in place. The relevant developments to monitor are committee action, any legislative amendment, and updated guidance from the National Tax Service; until one of those changes is confirmed, the published tax rules and reporting timetable remain the operative framework.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always conduct your own research before making decisions.

Source: CoinLineup.