According to PANews, South Korean retail investors, often referred to as 'ants,' are increasingly turning to high-risk assets in pursuit of funds for home purchases. Over the past five years, the scale of margin trading has tripled, with retail investors holding up to 40% of positions in U.S.-based leveraged and inverse ETFs. Local exchanges report that altcoin transactions account for over 80% of trading activity. This shift comes in the wake of recent U.S.-China tariff tensions, which have negatively impacted the cryptocurrency market.
Following the government's tightening of mortgage and rental regulations, approximately 4 trillion Korean won has flowed out of banks. Regulatory authorities have issued warnings about the risks associated with leverage and market volatility.