South Korea's Crypto Exchanges Suffer Significant Trading Volume Decline

The cryptocurrency market in South Korea has experienced a notable downturn in trading activity, with Upbit and Bithumb witnessing a significant decline in daily average volumes.

According to data from CoinMarketCap, Upbit's daily average trading volume fell by 38.8% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the second half of 2025, while Bithumb experienced an even steeper contraction of 44% over the same period.

The decline is attributed to a combination of factors, including reduced retail speculation, regulatory uncertainty, and a lack of major bullish catalysts in early 2026.