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Korean Retail Traders Shift From Crypto to AI Chip Stocks as KOSPI Soars

Policy incentives coupled with an AI supply‑chain edge are drawing household money into equities.

Overview

  • Average daily trading on Upbit has fallen from roughly $9 billion in late 2024 to about $1.8 billion by November 2025, a drop of nearly 80%.
  • Bithumb has lost more than two-thirds of its liquidity over the past year, with Korea’s crypto activity now concentrated in a muted $2–$4 billion daily range.
  • The KOSPI has climbed more than 70% year to date, and October delivered its strongest monthly gain since 2001 with a 21% jump and 17 intraday records.
  • Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are leading the surge, with their combined turnover exceeding a quarter of exchange trading, while active trading accounts rose to 95.33 million by Oct. 31.
  • Retail leverage has expanded sharply, with margin lending and leveraged ETFs in favor and positions nearing 30% of holdings, as memecoin rallies fade without Korean retail flows.