Korean Crypto Volume Plummets as Stock Market Surges

South Korea's cryptocurrency trading volume has plummeted 89% year-over-year, from an average of 17 trillion won per day in mid-2025 to approximately 2.7 trillion won by late May and early June 2026.

This decline comes as the country's stock market surges, with the KOSPI index reaching a peak above 8,800 in mid-2026, driven largely by demand for semiconductor and AI-related stocks like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

The shift away from crypto trading has left top exchanges struggling, with first-quarter 2026 financials showing declines of more than 50% year-over-year for major platforms.