Lee & Ko has once again been ranked Band 1, the highest tier, in the legal category of the 2026 edition of the Chambers FinTech Guide. In the individual category, Partner Il Shin Lee was newly ranked this year, while Partner Hyunkoo Kang continued his presence for a consecutive year.
Chambers and Partners named Lee & Ko a Band 1 ranking, its highest distinction, recognizing the firm as a premier law firm in Korea with deep capabilities in corporate advisory and capital markets and for its exceptional performance in advising and representing major financial institutions and fintech startups across a broad range of matters, including digital payments, virtual assets, and internet banking. Client feedback likewise emphasized its advice of the highest caliber, not only legally sophisticated but also closely aligned with business objectives and operational practices, along with its proactive and strategic response to evolving regulatory trends.
Lee & Ko’s Digital Finance Team has robust expertise in regulatory issues under the Electronic Financial Transactions Act, with a track record that includes advising Samsung C&T, Shinsegae, and Lotte Shopping on PG registrations, as well as HYBE on its registration as a prepaid payment instrument issuer. Latest regulatory assistance has centered on prepaid business operator registration for virtual asset exchanges, a development that, if completed, would constitute an industry first in Korea’s virtual asset market. The practice also advised Bithumb on its corporate spin-off and represented DSRV, BDACS, and HappyBlock in regulatory filings to secure licenses required for virtual asset service providers.
On the international front, regulatory engagement has been undertaken in connection with the entry into Korea of major global virtual asset companies, namely, Worldcoin, BitGo, NTT Docomo, Meta Earth, Wallet, and Acurast. Within the Korean market, professional regulatory advisory services are provided to leading virtual asset exchanges, such as Dunamu (Upbit) and Bithumb, and to major Korean companies, of particular note, LINE NEXT, Shinsegae, Com2us, and SK Networks, in support of ongoing engagement with cryptocurrency regulators. In addition, strategic guidance on multiple digital asset treasury (DAT) transactions has established substantial experience in the DAT sector, among which is the Bitplanet transaction, the largest of its kind in Korea to date.
Lee & Ko’s Digital Finance Team has also handled a range of virtual asset–related criminal cases, including matters involving Upbit, Terra-Luna, and Haru Invest, which are widely regarded as among the most high-profile virtual asset criminal proceedings in Korea. More recently, the practice has achieved notable regulatory and enforcement outcomes, including a substantial reduction in the anticipated administrative fine against Kakao Pay to KRW 5.9 billion and the conclusion of the Naver Financial investigation without sanctions. In parallel, clients have been advised in major civil disputes concerning token compensation issues between blockchain game companies and developers.
Meanwhile, recent performances include advice on innovative financial service designations for AI-driven financial services, such as Shinhan Financial Group’s AI platform and Wealth Guide’s generative AI-based financial counsel service, as well as continued regulatory sandbox advisory on innovative financial service designations for fractional investment in ship-finance equity interests. Lee & Ko’s Digital Finance Team has further driven legislative amendments to facilitate securities lending brokerage for Korea Securities Lending, contributing to the establishment of a new investment brokerage licensing provision under the Enforcement Decree of the Capital Markets Act, while simultaneously guiding overseas companies such as PayPal, Traveloka, and Ant Group on strategic market entry into Korea.
The Chambers FinTech Guide, one of the world’s leading legal ranking directories in the UK, released by Chambers and Partners, benchmarks and ranks leading law firms in the fintech sector across more than 50 jurisdictions worldwide.