South Korean Crypto Trading Volume Slips Nearly 20%

The contraction, amounting to roughly 5 trillion won in lost activity, reflects a broader trend of waning participation in the South Korean market. While the rankings of the top platforms remained stable, the market leader Upbit saw its dominance soften, with its share of total trading volume falling by 3.3 percentage points to 64.04%. Conversely, Bithumb and Coinone managed to capture more territory, rising to 26.66% and 6.58% respectively.

This weekly dip arrives shortly after official data from the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit and the Financial Supervisory Service confirmed a more profound slump during the first half of 2026. Regulators reported that average daily trading volume at domestic exchanges plummeted 44% compared to the previous six-month period, accompanied by a 78% plunge in operating profits. Despite the regulatory tightening—including stricter anti-money laundering rules and enhanced ledger reconciliation requirements—the five major platforms continue to list new assets, signaling that exchanges are pushing to maintain engagement even as broader liquidity tightens.