South Korean Retail Investors Shift Amid Bitcoin’s Price Surge

2 mins mins

Key Points:

Bitcoin is nearing the $100,000 mark by 2025.
South Korean cryptocurrency market activity is higher than the global average.
Potential risks include market manipulation and increased volatility.

The Bank of Korea’s recent financial stability report reveals that South Korea’s cryptocurrency market activity is 157%, surpassing the global average of 112%, highlighting market manipulation risks.

South Korean retail investors are focusing on profit-taking amid projections of Bitcoin reaching $100,000 in 2025, impacting market dynamics and increasing vulnerability to global fluctuations.

Market Analysis and Risks

A significant concern raised by the report is the concentration of 91.2% of trading volume within the top 10% of accounts. This raises the risk of market manipulation. The Bank of Korea outlines fears of increased vulnerability to global market fluctuations if South Korean institutional and ETF access is relaxed. Meanwhile, related funds are reportedly moving to local South Korean stock markets and leveraged ETFs in the U.S.

Market observers note that the concentration of trading activity could lead to significant volatility, especially if institutional players gain greater access. No significant public statements from key industry figures have been documented in relation to the Bank of Korea’s findings, highlighting a silent but keen observation of the market dynamics.

Bank of Korea warns of intensified global fluctuation risks if institutional/ETF access relaxes in South Korea, with crypto-traditional market linkages strengthening (e.g., volatility spilling to stocks); stresses need for cross-market risk management.

Bitcoin’s Volatility and Regulatory Challenges Explored

Did you know? The concentration of trading volume in cryptocurrency markets can lead to increased volatility and market manipulation risks.

Bitcoin (BTC) currently trades at $87,270.71, with a market cap of approximately $1.74 trillion and a dominance of 59.13%, as per CoinMarketCap. The last 60 days have seen a 21.45% price decline, reflecting market volatility. Trading volume within 24 hours has reached $43.35 billion, marking a 20.75% increase.

bitcoin-daily-chart-5259 — Bitcoin(BTC), daily chart, screenshot on CoinMarketCap at 03:43 UTC on December 24, 2025. *Source: CoinMarketCap*

Insights from the Coincu research team suggest that if institutional and ETF access is expanded, regulatory measures might intensify to mediate potential risks. There is a clear need for proactive cross-market risk management to handle connectivity between crypto and traditional markets.

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. We encourage you to do your own research before investing.