Korea's Largest Crypto Exchange Is Done Playing Domestic

Summary

SeonJoo Yoon, Chief Brand & Impact Officer at Upbit, discusses Korea's dominant crypto exchange with 13 million KYC'd users and $1.5 trillion in cumulative volume. She highlights Korea's tech-savvy retail culture, Upbit's stablecoin project with major Korean firms, a new Layer 2 blockchain with Optimism, and global expansion plans. Regulatory developments and Korea Blockchain Week are also covered.

• Upbit has 13 million fully KYC'd users and $1.5 trillion cumulative crypto trading volume.
• Korean retail investors are highly tech-savvy with strong trading appetite, fueling crypto adoption.
• Upbit's parent Dunamu is developing a Korean won-based stablecoin with Naver, Samsung, and Hana Bank to unlock global payments.
• Upbit is launching Kiwa, a Layer 2 blockchain with Optimism, to build a broader digital asset ecosystem.
• Institutional crypto investment is still restricted in Korea; Upbit aims to bridge local users to global products.
• South Korea's Digital Asset Basic Act is expected to be enacted this year, focusing on user protection and innovation.
• Upbit is expanding in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, positioning as an APAC bridge to the world.