a16z opens South Korean office in Asian expansion push - Cryptopolitan

* Andreessen Horowitz opened its first Asian office in Seoul on June 15. * Other companies like Ripple, Tether, Circle, and Cosmos Labs have made similar expansions into South Korea over the past two months. * Korea’s large retail crypto base and forthcoming Digital Asset Basic Act make it a magnet for foreign firms. venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) officially opened the doors of its Seoul office, becoming the latest major crypto investor to enter a major market where nearly one in three adults owns digital assets.** Aside from a16z, South Korea has received a wave of acquisitions, trademark applications and investments from other companies like Ripple, Cosmos Labs and Tether, who are also looking to get on the moving train. a16z’s official announcement states that it chose to launch its first Asian office in Korea after evaluating the country’s technical workforce, consumer adoption rates, and competitive position across multiple industries ranging from AI and manufacturing to defense and content. a16z first [announced plans](https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/a16z-crypto-is-expanding-to-asia/) to expand into Asia in December 2025. The firm noted that [South Korea](https://www.coingecko.com/learn/south-korea-crypto-market-maturation-2026) is the “second-largest crypto market” globally by trading activity. By establishing a physical presence now, a16z is positioning itself and its portfolio companies to comply with these rules before they officially take effect. a16z has shared that its Seoul operation will start with crypto-focused work and then widen its scope over time. Sungmo Park, who joined a16z as its crypto Asia-Pacific go-to-market lead when the Asia expansion was announced in December, will run the Seoul office.