KoFIU reported that in the first half of 2026, operating profits of South Korean crypto exchanges fell by 78% amid declines in trading activity, market capitalization, and client deposits.

Average daily volume down 44%, market cap down 33%, deposits down 35%

According to KoFIU, the average daily trading volume on domestic virtual asset platforms dropped by 44% compared to the previous six months; market capitalization decreased by 33%, and deposits in won fell by 35%. Exchange revenue declined by 41% over the same period, while the number of accounts eligible for trading saw a slight increase of 0.4%.

Survey covered 26 providers from January 1 to June 30

The KoFIU study included 26 registered virtual asset service providers: 17 exchange operators and nine custody and wallet providers. The survey covered activity from January 1 to June 30.

Investor focus shifts to stocks; assets down 50.2% year-on-year

The indicators declined amid signs that retail investors were shifting from crypto to the country’s stock market. In May, the total value of crypto assets held by South Korean investors was down 50.2% year-on-year to 60.6 trillion won ($41.4 billion). In July, the combined average daily volume on Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax was about 89% lower year-on-year for comparable seven-day periods, while the KOSPI index more than doubled in the 12 months to July 22.