XRP Volume Explodes: Korean Exchange Anomaly

What to Know:

• XRP has become the dominant trading asset in South Korea, surpassing Bitcoin and Ethereum in popularity among retail traders.
• South Korean traders favor XRP due to its liquidity, speed, and suitability for short-term trading strategies on local exchanges.
• Strong community support and increasing institutional interest are solidifying XRP’s position in the South Korean market.

XRP has emerged as the preferred trading asset in South Korea, outpacing Bitcoin and Ethereum in the country’s fast-paced retail market. Data from leading South Korean exchanges highlights a unique trend: domestic traders consistently prioritize XRP for its speed and liquidity when market activity surges. This preference has solidified XRP’s role in the local trading landscape throughout 2025.

Dunamu, which operates the prominent Upbit exchange, reported that XRP was the most-traded asset on its platform for the year, surpassing even Bitcoin and Ethereum. This dominance underscores XRP’s appeal to South Korean traders.

The preference for XRP in South Korea stems from its utility as a tool for speculation in a market geared toward short-term trading. Major exchanges like Upbit are built around spot trading in South Korean won (KRW), making XRP an ergonomic choice for retail traders.

XRP’s deep order books, tight spreads, and efficient execution capabilities make it a favored asset during peak trading hours, particularly at 9 AM when liquidity surges. This positions XRP as a high-speed vehicle for capital movement.

Structural constraints within South Korea’s financial system also contribute to XRP’s popularity. The limited availability of derivative products on domestic exchanges drives traders to seek assets with high volatility to generate short-term returns.

XRP strikes a balance by offering sufficient volatility alongside the necessary liquidity for traders to swiftly enter and exit positions. It effectively acts as a proxy for leverage within the spot-trading environment.

The strong community support for XRP in South Korea further reinforces its market position. Tatsuya Kohrogi from Ripple has noted the exceptional engagement of the South Korean XRP community, which surpasses that of other regions.

This intense community backing has translated into significant buying power on local exchanges, with Upbit’s XRP traders often outperforming major global platforms like Coinbase and Binance. This demonstrates the community’s proactive defense of XRP on local platforms.

The increasing institutional interest is solidifying XRP’s role in the South Korean market. The resolution of the SEC lawsuit against Ripple has paved the way for major financial firms to explore XRP-focused ETFs.

This evolving global narrative is complemented by local infrastructure upgrades, such as BDACS’s custody solutions for XRP and Ripple USD (RLUSD). This transition signifies a shift from XRP being perceived as a speculative tool to an asset with growing institutional validation.

In conclusion, XRP’s dominance in South Korea is driven by its utility for short-term trading, structural factors within the local market, strong community support, and increasing institutional interest. These elements combine to create a robust and evolving landscape for XRP in South Korea.

Related: XRP Lawsuit: Crypto Lawyer Signals Possibility

Source: Original article