#CryptoStocks Volume of Cryptocurrency Trading in Korean Won Nearly Catches Up to Dollar-Denominated Trading

📰In 2025, the volume of cryptocurrency transactions in Korean won (KRW) reached $663 billion, according to the analytical company Kaiko. This is nearly equivalent to the volume traded in U.S. dollar pairs (excluding transactions with stablecoins such as USDT), making South Korea the world's second-largest cryptocurrency market.

📰According to the company's data, nearly one in three adults in Korea owns digital assets, which is twice the rate observed in the United States. However, the development of the institutional sector in the country is hindered by the low popularity of stablecoins, the fragmentation of trading platforms, and the persistent "kimchi premium" — the price difference between local and global markets.

📰The top five most popular fiat currencies on cryptocurrency exchanges also include the euro, the Turkish lira, and the British pound sterling, though their trading volumes are significantly lower than those of the dollar and the won. At the same time, the majority of liquidity still comes from stablecoins.