• South Korean traders’ crypto holdings fell by greater than 60 trillion gained over a few yr, in response to native reporting.
  • FIU/FSS survey knowledge confirmed common every day buying and selling quantity fell 15%, from 6.4 trillion gained to five.4 trillion gained.
  • Stablecoin holdings reached 871.9 billion gained by year-end, exhibiting continued demand for dollar-linked tokens.

South Korea’s retail crypto market has contracted sharply from its late-2025 peak, with investor holdings dropping by greater than 60 trillion gained (AU$56.3 billion) as buying and selling volumes weakened and home equities pulled capital away from digital property.

Native reporting from The Chosun Day by day said South Korean traders’ crypto holdings greater than halved over a few yr, with falling token costs and a stronger inventory market each contributing to the drawdown. 

The Financial institution of Korea stated whole virtual-asset worth started 2025 at 121.8 trillion gained (AU$114.3 billion) and fell to 89.2 trillion gained (AU$83.6 billion) by June as investor sentiment weakened.

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Buying and selling Volumes Slide

The Korea Monetary Intelligence Unit and Monetary Supervisory Service’s second-half 2025 virtual-asset supplier survey confirmed common every day transaction quantity fell 15%, from 6.4 trillion gained (AU$6 billion) within the first half to five.4 trillion gained (AU$5 billion) within the second half.

Asiae, citing the Financial institution of Korea’s 2025 Fee and Settlement Report, stated common every day virtual-asset buying and selling quantity hit a yearly low of two.7 trillion gained (AU$2.5 billion) on the finish of final yr. It additionally stated traders holding accounts on the 5 home virtual-asset exchanges stood at about 21.63 million.

It shouldn’t be so stunning on condition that Korean equities have been rallying, and extra retail traders seem to have rotated away from speculative crypto buying and selling and again into shares, which is smart contemplating the present state of geopolitics and world markets.

This makes much more sense when stablecoins have been extra resilient in components of the info. Asiae stated stablecoin holdings reached 871.9 billion gained (AU$818 million) by year-end, whereas Aju Press reported that stablecoin holdings greater than doubled as traders sought dollar-denominated property.

What’s extra, stablecoins are additionally being built-in into standard apps like DoorDash and Meta, as Crypto Information Australia reported.

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