Cryptocurrency exchanges in South Korea recorded significant capital outflows in the second half of 2025, even as user activity and deposits continued to grow.
summary
- South Korean exchanges recorded $60 billion worth of cryptocurrency outflows as money moves offshore in 2025.
- Exchange accounts rose to 11.1 million and customer deposits rose despite weak market conditions nationwide.
- Profits, trading volumes, and market capitalization declined as crypto prices generally declined in late 2025.
New data from the Financial Services Commission showed that more money moved to external platforms and private wallets during this period. the a report It also showed weaker earnings and a decline in trading activity in the local market.
The Financial Services Commission said that cryptocurrency outflows from South Korean exchanges reached 90 trillion won, or about $60 billion, in the second half of 2025. This represents a 14% increase from 78.9 trillion won, or $52.5 billion, in the first half of the year.
The regulator linked part of that movement to cross-border trading activity. The Financial Supervision Authority said in its report:
“It is assumed that virtual assets are transferred offshore for arbitrage and other similar activities.”
The statement pointed to external platforms and private wallets as the main destinations for these transfers.
The report showed that more people continued to use local Crypto exchanges Despite the increase in outflows. By the end of 2025, the number of exchange accounts reached 11.1 million, an increase of 3% from June 2025.
Customer deposits rose at a faster pace. The Financial Services Commission said deposits rose 31% to 8.1 trillion won, or about $5.4 billion, during the second half of the year. The figures showed that users continued to add funds to exchanges even as market conditions weakened.
In addition, the growth of accounts and deposits did not raise the profits of exchange operators. The country’s 18 active stock exchanges recorded 380.7 billion won, or $253.4 million, in operating profit in the second half. This figure fell by 38% from 617.8 billion won, or $411.2 million, in the first half.
Trading activity also decreased during this period. The Financial Services Commission estimated average daily trading volume at 5.4 trillion won, or $3.6 billion, which is 15% lower than in the first half. the organizer He said that a decline in cryptocurrency prices towards the end of 2025 may affect exchange revenues and market activity.
The market value also decreased
The report estimated the total market value of cryptocurrencies in South Korea at 87.2 trillion won, or about $58 billion, at the end of 2025. This is down 8% from the first half of the year and reflects softer market conditions across major digital assets.
Wider The market remained Below its peak in October 2025, when Bitcoin reached an all-time high of around $126,080. Financial Services Board data showed that although local participation remained steady, weak prices and lower trading volumes put pressure on the stock exchange’s performance in the second half.
