South Korea’s Crypto Holdings Plunge 50% in a Year as Capital Shifts to Stocks

Crypto assets held by investors in South Korea have more than halved over the past year, falling from $83.3 billion in January 2025 to $41.4 billion by February 2026.

Alongside this drop in holdings, market activity has also weakened. Daily trading volumes across major exchanges — including Upbit, Coinone, Bithumb, Korbit, and Gopax — dropped to about $3 billion in February, down from $11.6 billion in December 2024.

Investor liquidity on exchanges has also weakened. Won-denominated balances, often used as ready trading capital, fell from 10.7 trillion won at the end of 2024 to 7.8 trillion won by February.

According to data cited by the Bank of Korea, the downturn reflects a combination of falling crypto prices and a broader shift of funds into the stock market.

Source: The Chosun Daily