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Industry

Onnuri gift certificates limited to affiliates with under 3 billion won in annual sales under draft rules

South Korea plans to limit the use of Onnuri gift certificates to affiliated small and medium-sized merchants with annual sales of 3 billion won or less. The SME ministry also proposed tougher penalties for illegal distribution, including fines of up to three times illicit gains. Health and veterinary services and legal, accounting and tax services would be barred from registration, while pharmacies remain allowed. The ministry will collect opinions through May 8.

Finance

KB Financial Group, KOSMES step up industrial safety support program, select 50 suppliers

KB Financial Group said on April 12 it selected 50 safety-technology suppliers for a small business industrial safety support programme run with the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency. The programme is designed to give suppliers opportunities for technology verification and business expansion, while helping demand companies improve working conditions and strengthen safety capabilities. The partners will provide 3.3 billion won and apply a performance-based support model.

Crypto

Bitcoin order book depth halves in six months as crypto market liquidity worsens

Bitcoin market liquidity has not recovered since a sharp drop in October last year and has weakened further this year, the report said. Bitcoin order book depth is down about 50 percent from September 2025, while crypto derivatives activity and trading in U.S.-listed spot bitcoin ETFs have slowed. Order book depth rarely tops $130 million now and briefly fell below $60 million in February. Funding rates and ETF turnover have also declined.