South Korea Leads East Asia’s Crypto Economy at $449 Billion Driven by AI Tokens

Chainalysis’s latest East Asia Crypto Adoption Report reveals that while overall crypto activity in East Asia declined slightly between July 2025 and June 2026 due to the global bear market, significant regional differences emerged. South Korea maintained its position as the largest retail trading hub, with its crypto economy reaching $449.1 billion, a 12.3% increase from the prior cycle. Japan, Hong Kong, mainland China, and Taiwan recorded $228.3 billion, $192.2 billion, $176.3 billion, and $140.4 billion, respectively. South Korea’s growth was fueled by a $51.1 billion surge in transaction flows to local trading platforms.

The standout trend in South Korea was the rise of AI token trading. By June 2026, AI-related crypto assets became the dominant thematic category in KRW trading volume, surpassing payment-oriented tokens like XRP. Worldcoin (WLD) led with $7.41 billion in trading volume, followed by SAHARA, VIRTUAL, BIO, and NEAR. KRW-denominated AI token trading volume was 19.5 times higher than in JPY-denominated markets, reflecting South Korean retail investors’ preference for AI investments, mirroring trends in the traditional stock market.

Despite retail dominance, institutional capital in South Korea remains in a preparatory phase. Local banks and brokerages have formed digital asset teams and are testing stablecoins, custody, and tokenization, but corporate participation in crypto investments has yet to scale significantly. The report suggests that South Korea’s planned crypto asset gains tax, set for 2027, and easing corporate trading restrictions could reshape the market’s structure.