Worldcoin Leads South Korea’s Surge in AI Crypto Investments
South Korean retail traders have extended their enthusiasm for artificial intelligence (AI) into the cryptocurrency market, with AI tokens becoming the dominant theme in won-denominated trading by June 2026. According to Chainalysis data, Worldcoin (WLD) led the charge, attracting $7.41 billion in trading volume over the year. This surge in demand contributed to a 12.3% growth in South Korea’s crypto economy, reaching $449.1 billion, even as the broader East Asian market saw modest contraction.
The popularity of AI tokens in South Korea far outpaced other regions, with their share of won trading being 19.5 times that of yen trading. Other AI tokens gaining significant traction included Sahara AI (SAHARA) with $3.2 billion, Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) with $2.7 billion, Bio Protocol (BIO) with $2 billion, and NEAR Protocol (NEAR) with $1.7 billion. Despite this diverse interest, Worldcoin remained the top pick among Korean traders.
In September, AI-linked crypto assets surged 54%, outperforming the broader market’s 24% gain. Worldcoin’s price has seen notable fluctuations, climbing 44.28% over the past month to $0.57155, although it experienced a 1.74% dip in the past day. Grayscale’s head of research, Zach Pandl, highlighted the potential for major winners within the AI crypto sector over the next five years, despite its current $15 billion valuation.
However, challenges loom on the horizon. South Korea plans to impose a 22% tax on crypto gains starting January 2027, a decision that could impact trading behavior. Additionally, Korean traders are known for quickly rotating their investments, with 2025’s leading AI tokens like VIRTUAL and KAITO already being replaced by WLD and SAHARA. These factors could influence whether Worldcoin maintains its leading position in the AI token market.