AI · The Block
The Block GCCI 2026 Country Profile: Inside Korea’s Crypto Market
Compiled by KHAO Editorial — aggregated from 1 source. See llms.txt for citation guidance.
★ Tier-1 Source
Crypto markets have historically been measured on their trading volume, ownership, or adoption.
Key facts
- By May 2017, Korea was the world's largest ether market, with about $335 million in daily volume and a 38% global share
- In a December 2017 survey by Saramin, 31.3% of 941 office workers said they had invested in virtual currencies, with an average position of 5.56 million won (~$5,000), and 54.2% gave "the fastest way
- On 28–29 September the Financial Services Commission (FSC) announced that all forms of token issuance would be prohibited
- Of the $10 billion raised this year, more than 67% has flowed into one of these three countries
Summary
A country can have large trading volume while having a restrictive domestic market. The Block’s Global Crypto Competitiveness Index attempts to capture a country's attractiveness as a place to build a crypto business, deploy institutional capital, and serve customers. The index aggregates the 17 factors across 4 categories: market context, industry, regulation, and cross-border openness. Market context focuses on demonstrated demand in the geography, including trading volume and crypto ownership.