South Korean presidential hopeful Lee Jae-myung vows to approve crypto ETFs

By: bitcoin ethereum news|2025/05/07 17:15:01

South Korean politician Lee Jae-myung has vowed to approve spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds and create a safer investment environment for young investors if elected president. Lee, who is the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, has rolled out a set of crypto-friendly promises as part of a larger pitch to win over younger voters, according to a Korea Economic Daily report. With the June 3 election approaching, Lee made it clear that digital assets would play a key role in his plans. In a social media post on May 6, Lee said he wants to help young people “[build] assets and plan for the future” by making crypto investment safer and more accessible. He pledged to push for the legalization of spot crypto ETFs, along with the creation of a unified oversight system to strengthen protections for investors and bring more transparency to the market. Among other reforms, Lee said he would work to reduce trading fees and overhaul current regulations, signaling a broader effort to make crypto a more stable and mainstream investment option for everyday users. Lee’s message seems aimed squarely at younger South Koreans who’ve been priced out of traditional assets like real estate and stocks and are turning to crypto in search of better returns. Lee joins a growing list of politicians trying to win over crypto voters. With around 16 million crypto users, roughly 36% of the electorate, digital asset investors have become a major voting bloc. Politicians from both major parties are actively courting them. The Democratic Party has reportedly brought in a token securities expert, Professor Kim Yong-jin, to help shape policy, and one of its lawmakers recently introduced a draft bill dubbed the Digital Asset Promotion Basic Act. Meanwhile, the ruling People Power Party has laid out its own ambitious plan to support the crypto sector. Back in April, the party unveiled a seven-part strategy, including a commitment to approve spot Bitcoin ETFs this year. Further, it wants to scrap South Korea’s one-exchange-one-bank rule, allow institutions to trade crypto, and roll out a stablecoin regulatory framework in line with global standards. As previously reported by crypto.news, Representative Park Soo-min of the People Power Party said South Korea has “no time to delay” on ETFs, especially with jurisdictions like Hong Kong and the U.S. already moving ahead. The party is also pushing to set up a special crypto committee directly under their presidential candidate, Kim Moon-soo, who has spoken out about the lack of protection for the millions of Koreans now invested in digital assets. Source: https://crypto.news/south-korean-presidential-hopeful-lee-jae-myung-vows-to-approve-crypto-etfs/

On March 4, 2026, DDC Enterprise Limited (NYSE American: DDC) today announced preliminary, unaudited full-year financial performance for the year ended December 31, 2025. The company expects to achieve record revenue and record positive adjusted EBITDA, primarily driven by continued growth in its core consumer food business and overall margin improvement. The final audited financial report is expected to be released in mid-April 2026.

2025 Full-Year Financial Highlights

Revenue: Expected to be between $39 million and $41 million, reaching a new company high.

Organic Growth: Excluding the impact of the company's strategic contraction of its U.S. operations, core revenue is expected to grow 11% to 17% year over year.

Gross Profit Margin: Expected to be between 28% and 30%, reflecting continued operational efficiency improvements.

Adjusted EBITDA: The company expects to achieve a positive full-year result in 2025, a significant improvement from a $3.5 million loss in 2024, mainly due to rigorous cost controls and a higher-margin sales mix.

Core Consumer Food Business Performance

In 2025, DDC's core consumer food business maintained strong operational performance.

The company also disclosed Core Consumer Food Business Adjusted EBITDA, a metric that further excludes costs related to its Bitcoin reserve strategy and non-cash fair value adjustments related to its Bitcoin holdings from adjusted EBITDA to more accurately reflect the core business performance.

In 2025, Core Consumer Food Business Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be between $5.5 million and $6 million.

Bitcoin Reserve Update

In the first half of 2025, DDC initiated a long-term Bitcoin accumulation strategy, holding Bitcoin as its primary reserve asset.

As of December 31, 2025: The company holds 1,183 BTC.

As of February 28, 2026: Holdings increased to 2,118 BTC

Today's additional purchase of 65 BTC brings the company's total holdings to 2,183 BTC

DDC Founder, Chairman, and CEO Norma Chu stated, "We are proud to have closed 2025 with record revenue and positive adjusted EBITDA, demonstrating the steady growth of the company's consumer food business and the ongoing improvement in profitability. We are building a disciplined, growth-oriented food platform and strategically allocating capital to Bitcoin assets with a long-term view, aligning with our core beliefs. We believe that this dual-track model of 'Steady Consumer Business + Strategic Bitcoin Reserve' will help DDC create lasting long-term value for shareholders."

Adjusted EBITDA Definition
For the full year 2025, the company defines "Adjusted EBITDA" (a non-GAAP financial measure) as: Net income / (loss) excluding the following items:· Interest expense· Taxes· Foreign exchange gains/losses· Long-lived asset impairment· Depreciation and amortization· Non-cash fair value changes related to financial instruments (including Bitcoin holdings)· Stock-based compensation

About DDC Enterprise Limited

DDC Enterprise Limited (NYSE: DDC) is actively implementing its corporate Bitcoin Treasury strategy while continuing to strengthen its position as a leading global Asian food platform.

The company has established Bitcoin as a core reserve asset and is executing a prudent, long-oriented accumulation strategy. While expanding its portfolio of food brands, DDC is gradually becoming one of the public company pioneers in integrating Bitcoin into its corporate financial architecture.

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DDC Enterprise Limited Announces 2025 Unaudited Preliminary Financial Performance: Record Revenue Achieved, Bitcoin Treasury Grows to 2183 Coins