South Korea's Crypto Trading Volume Plummets Amid Tokenized Securities Rule Proposal
South Korea's cryptocurrency trading volume plummeted by 20.5 trillion won, approximately USD 15.1 billion, between September 25 and October 2, according to recent data. This represents a 19.56% decline from the previous week's activity.
The five major crypto exchanges in South Korea - Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Digital X, and Gopax - accounted for the significant trading volume. Upbit retained its top spot, with a 64.04% share, although its share dropped 3.3 percentage points. Bithumb remained in second place, with a 26.66% share, gaining 1.893 percentage points.
The Korea Financial Intelligence Unit and Financial Supervisory Service reported broader declines in an October 1 survey. The review covered 26 registered businesses, including 17 exchanges and nine custody or wallet providers, during January through June 2026. Average daily exchange trading volume fell 44% compared with the preceding six months.
Regulators have proposed rules for issuing and circulating stocks, bonds, funds, and certain fractional investment securities in tokenized form. Companies issuing tokens while managing customer securities accounts would need at least four billion won in equity capital. The proposal requires one account management professional, one internal control professional, and two information technology professionals.
The public consultation on the proposals opened on October 2 and closes on November 11. The proposals then require further approvals before their scheduled implementation on February 4, 2027.