Upbit is maintaining its stronghold in South Korea’s cryptocurrency exchange market. With an 80% market share, it stands as the unchallenged leader. Despite a temporary slip to 70% in August, the exchange bounced back robustly the subsequent month. Its closest competitors, including Bithumb, Coinone, and Korbit, trail significantly in terms of market influence.
Bithumb, holding its ground as the second-largest exchange, commands 15% to 20% of the trade activity. On the other hand, Coinone’s grip is evident with its 3% to 5% share. Korbit makes a ripple, capturing less than 1% barely. This disparity highlights Upbit’s pronounced dominance in the bustling crypto market of South Korea.
A judicial win for Ripple in the US courts catalyzed a flurry of trading activities across Korean exchanges. The May ruling favoring Ripple against the SEC clarified that XRP sales on deals didn’t represent investment contracts. Consequently, XRP prices soared by a staggering 80%, injecting vitality into the trading scene.
This development spurred a remarkable increase in trading volumes for Korean exchanges. The activity surged from $27 billion in June to $37 billion in July, marking a 37% ascent. This boost came when global exchanges like Binance observed a plateau in trading dynamics.
Additionally, Korean exchanges have demonstrated resilience against the broader downtrend affecting centralized exchanges. Trading volumes have revived after plummeting from a February high of $45 billion to $23 billion in May. The recent $37 billion peak underscores this recovery, overshadowing market behemoths like Binance.
In the global context, Korea’s major exchanges are surviving and thriving. When pitched against giants like Binance and Coinbase, trading volumes reveal a consistent upper hand held by the Korean platforms. Their market share, in comparison to Binance, has climbed from 7% in March to an impressive 16% in September.
This positive trend signals a growing stature of domestic exchanges in the crypto industry. The public declaration of cryptocurrency investments by senior officials in South Korea’s Gyeonggi province confirms this sentiment.
However, monitoring how these domestic exchanges navigate the complex regulatory and competitive landscape is crucial. Their ability to maintain market share and trading volume will be decisive in shaping South Korea’s position in the global cryptocurrency market.
Upbit’s dominance in South Korea, coupled with the resilience of other local exchanges, marks a significant phase in the country’s crypto industry. These platforms are redefining their local market and emerging as formidable players on the international stage. The unfolding events will be critical in determining their global journey ahead.
