South Korea's National Tax Service (NTS) announced on Thursday that it has begun preparations to build a tracking system to tax cryptocurrency investment gains, in line with the government's expansionary fiscal policy and revenue-generating needs. This move comes as the South Korean government plans to tax profits from virtual assets starting in January next year. The NTS has issued a tender notice on its public procurement service e-tender platform, proposing to build a comprehensive system for analyzing virtual asset transactions and implementing corresponding taxes. The project budget is 3 billion won (approximately US$2.02 million). The winning bidder will be selected and a contract signed this month. System design will begin in April, and after multiple rounds of testing, trial operation will begin in November, with official launch expected between November and December. The NTS stated that the system is expected to be used to collect personal virtual asset transaction data starting in 2027, improving the ability to detect tax evasion through systematic management and analysis of large amounts of transaction data. The National Tax Service plans to use AI and machine learning to analyze and track abnormal transaction types and patterns. It will also share virtual asset analysis data and lists of suspected violators with agencies such as Korea Customs, the Ministry of Statistics and Data, and the Bank of Korea. Starting next January, virtual asset income exceeding 2.5 million won will be subject to a comprehensive tax rate of 22%, including a 20% income tax and a 2% local income tax.