Dunamu may appeal to a $25M FIU fine and sanctions. The Upbit operator faces penalties for alleged AML and KYC violations, including a new user onboarding suspension.
Dunamu, the operator of South Korea’s largest crypto exchange Upbit, is considering an appeal. It may face a $25 million fine and sanctions. These had been imposed by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). The sanctions are based on complaints of violations of anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) requirements. The FIU had also suspended Upbit’s new user onboarding for three months.
Dunamu Challenges FIU’s Sanctions Accuracy
A Dunamu spokesperson told reporters that the company was conducting a careful internal review, which included assessing the accuracy of the sanction’s findings. The spokesperson also stated that the unit has been wrong in the past. This raises the possibility of a legal challenge on the basis of precedents.
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“The FIU sentenced Hanbitco to a 2 billion won fine for the shortcomings of the KYC,” the spokesperson said. This involved roughly 200 users. A Seoul court later overturned that ruling. The court determined that the violations did not result in money laundering. This precedent makes Dunamu’s potential appeal stronger.
Dunamu, the operator of South Korea’s largest crypto exchange Upbit, said it is considering appealing a $25 million fine and sanctions imposed by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) for alleged violations of anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) regulations.…
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) November 25, 2025
Dunamu, which operates the country’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, is considering taking legal action. This is an attack on the Financial Intelligence Unit’s (FIU) fine of some $25 million (35.2 billion won). Sanctions were issued for non-compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) laws.
The specific causes of the legal challenge have not been made public. This information is lacking from available reports. However, the action is likely to reverse or soften the punishments. These were subjected to the regulator.
In addition, the sanctions issued by the FIU are harsh. They include a fine of 35.2 billion Korean won (about $25 million). There is also a disciplinary warning to the Dunamu chief executive. A three-month limit on new customer deposits and withdrawals was also imposed. This was previously challenged in court by the company. This attempted to stop its enforcement.
Broader Regulatory Crackdown Impacts Korean Exchanges
Dunamu has already filed a lawsuit. This is in an effort to overturn a partial business suspension order. This order has to do with the sanctions. This more general challenge is part of a wider regulatory clampdown. This affects the major South Korean exchanges. These are Bithumb, Korbit, Coinone, and GOPAX. The FIU is seeking uniform enforcement activities across the industry.
On the other hand, the FIU reported the inspection of the two stations in a separate statement. These took in four other crypto exchanges: Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and GOPAX. The inspections reviewed AML and other regulatory compliance. The FIU found that these exchanges also violated several rules and regulations. This suggests an overarching problem with the Korean crypto market.
Overall, Dunamu’s reaction indicates a growing willingness to challenge regulatory penalties. Moreover, the firm might use the past legal precedents to strengthen its fight. Consequently, the case could have an impact on how future AML and KYC disputes are dealt with in South Korea. Therefore, the outcome can influence the overall regulatory environment of crypto exchanges in the region.
Source: https://www.livebitcoinnews.com/crypto-news-dunamu-considers-appeal-to-fius-25m-aml-sanctions/