Do you remember the phrase 'Taejo Ibangwon (太造二方原)' that heated up the Korean stock market? It was an abbreviation for promising industrial sectors encompassing solar energy, shipbuilding, secondary batteries, defense, and nuclear power, which once attracted investors' attention. However, as time passed, solar energy and secondary batteries lost their momentum and investment appeal waned.
Now is a new era. It's time to call it 'Bijobangyeon (比造防原)'. This new investment theme, consisting of Bitcoin, shipbuilding, defense, and nuclear power, is not just a play on words. It is a realistic investment strategy reflecting the fundamental changes in the global economic paradigm.
Wall Street's Proof of Bitcoin's Value
Since the Bitcoin ETF was launched in the United States, institutional investors' funds have been massively flowing into Bitcoin. More notably, Nasdaq-listed companies like MicroStrategy and GameStop are adopting Bitcoin as part of their core financial strategy. They have chosen to hold Bitcoin not as a mere investment tool, but as a core corporate asset.
GameStop approved Bitcoin as a financial asset in March this year and purchased 4,710 Bitcoins. It also issued convertible bonds worth $225 million to secure additional Bitcoin purchasing capacity. This shows that Bitcoin is no longer seen as a 'speculative asset' but as a 'strategic asset' carefully reviewed by corporate executives.
Even more surprising is the direct involvement of former President Trump. Trump Media Technology Group (TMTG) received SEC approval for its Bitcoin financial strategy. With $2.3 billion raised from 50 institutional investors, they can now purchase Bitcoin at any time.
Even more radical is the SEC's change. Under the Trump administration, the SEC appointed crypto industry veteran Jamie Selway as the director of trading markets. Selway, who has worked at Blockchain.com and Coinbase's Skew, is a 'crypto native'. This demonstrates the U.S. government's strong will to bring digital assets into the institutional framework.
Global Companies' Stablecoin Strategy
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Walmart and Amazon are considering issuing their own stablecoins. They aim to reduce payment fees and increase transaction speed through digital currencies pegged to the dollar. The effect is expected to be even greater in cross-border payments.
Circle's USDC stablecoin issuer saw its stock price surge 25% after going public this year, closing at $133. Shopify introduced USDC payment on Base chain, and Ripple X announced welcoming USDC on the XRP ledger. Brazilian fintech Matera also started using stablecoins for "multi-currency" operations among traditional banks.
There are no borders in the economic arena. While U.S. and European companies are building new competitive advantages through digital assets, Korean companies are still hesitant. This is a very dangerous signal.
Korean companies should pay attention to Walmart and Amazon's stablecoin strategies. They are going beyond simply buying Bitcoin to building new business models using digital assets. They are pursuing various benefits such as payment system innovation, cross-border transaction efficiency, and financial intermediary cost reduction.
The Government's Role and Urgent Tasks
Now, the Korean government must also act. Just as the U.S. SEC has shifted to a digital asset-friendly policy, our government must rationally improve related regulations. It must provide institutional support so that Korean companies do not fall behind in global competition.
It should pave the way for global companies like Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and Hyundai Motor to hold Bitcoin as financial assets, and for IT companies like Naver and Kakao to enter the stablecoin business. This is not a choice but a matter of survival.
The transition from Taejo Ibangwon to Bijobangyeon is not just a change in trendy terms. It symbolizes a new investment paradigm in the digital economy. Digital assets represented by Bitcoin have now become an essential strategy, not speculation.
It's late, but we must start now. Korean companies must not fall behind in the digital asset race that U.S. companies have already begun. The government must loosen regulations, and companies must make bold decisions.
Whether we become winners or losers in the Bijobangyeon era depends on our choices right now.
