- South Korea’s virtual asset exchanges recorded 16.29 million user accounts by February 2025, surpassing the 14.1 million stock market investors.
- Upbit leads with 9.82 million users, while Bithumb’s membership surged 77.4% in one year, driven by aggressive marketing and banking partnerships.
- The stock investor count declined from 14.24 million in 2022 to 14.03 million in 2023, while crypto adoption saw steady monthly growth.
South Korea’s virtual asset market has seen consistent growth and has arrived at 16.29 million exchange users as of the period ending February 2025. The growth now surpasses the traditional stock market investor base and demonstrates a large shift in investment choices.
Expansion of Virtual Asset Market
South Korea’s cryptocurrency exchanges have registered steady membership increases over the past year. Figures from SBS show that the total number of user accounts at the five largest exchanges is now over 16 million. Growth on a monthly basis has been in the hundreds of thousands since last year’s US presidential election. The figures suggest that digital assets have become widely popular among a diverse range of investors.
The user base now represents approximately 32% of South Korea’s population, a reflection of the rapid expansion of digital asset trading. Growth trends have been consistent, and the market now represents a larger percentage of investor interest than traditional stock investment. The steady monthly growth is a reflection of the growing popularity of virtual asset trading as a diversified investment strategy.
Exchange Membership Trends and Strategies
The largest local exchange, Upbit, recently reported nearly 9.82 million registered users, with an estimate to reach 10 million by the end of March. Other exchanges, including Coinone, Bithumb, Korbit, and GOPAX, are also doing their share in the overall rising trend of digital asset involvement. Each of the exchanges has reported varying growth rates, indicative of the diversity in market approach and user involvement.
Bithumb has recorded high gains, with membership rising from 1.33 million to 2.36 million over the last year. Coinone boasts a membership of 3.2 million, while Korbit and GOPAX are attracting a rising number of investors. Bithumb’s gains have been supported by promotional events, such as zero-fee trading periods in October and November last year. Recent partnerships with large banks have also boosted user convenience. These efforts have played a crucial role in getting more individuals into the digital asset market.
Comparison with Traditional Stock Market Participation
The growth of digital asset exchange members now far exceeds the number of conventional stock market investors. The Korea Securities Depository accounted for 14.1 million shareholders of listed companies at the close of last year. By contrast, digital asset users continue to rise steadily each month. The contrast in figures constitutes a shift in investor interest toward digital assets.
Traditional stock market participation has not seen the same rush. The stock investor population decreased slightly between 2022 and 2023 when 14.24 million investors turned into 14.03 million. The number of digital asset users continues to exceed stock investors despite a minor growth of users in 2023. These trends indicate that investors diversify their portfolios by adding digital assets to conventional investments.
The heightened membership levels demonstrate a measurable change in the investment landscape in South Korea. Both new and veteran investors are now actively participating in the digital asset market. The evolving investor profile continues to characterize a vibrant investment environment in which digital assets introduce new opportunities alongside conventional assets.
