According to the source, Arthur Hayes said at Korea Blockchain Week 2025 that crypto has become an escape from a crushing rat race for South Koreans, citing a job market dominated by a few powerful families; source: Arthur Hayes remarks at KBW2025 (KBW Official). For trading, Korean retail participation has historically aligned with a KRW premium on BTC and ETH versus USD markets, often referred to as the Kimchi premium, highlighting localized demand and basis opportunities; source: Bank of Korea publications on the Kimchi premium. KRW spot liquidity is concentrated on local exchanges such as Upbit and Bithumb, and Korean flows can disproportionately impact altcoin moves during Asia hours; source: Kaiko market microstructure research. Practical setup: monitor BTC-KRW and ETH-KRW basis, Upbit and Bithumb order-book depth, and KRW stablecoin net flows to gauge local bid; source: Kaiko and CCData tracking frameworks.

According to @pedrouid, South Korea is going all-in with crypto, shared via an X post on Sep 12, 2025 that links to a BTC_Archive thread for context. Source: @pedrouid on X, Sep 12, 2025. The post includes no official policy details or timelines, so the near-term trading takeaway is headline-driven sentiment rather than confirmed regulatory change. Source: @pedrouid on X, Sep 12, 2025. Traders can monitor Asia session liquidity, KRW on-ramp activity, and price reaction in large-cap crypto pairs to assess whether the headline attracts sustained demand. Source: @pedrouid on X, Sep 12, 2025.

According to @pedrouid, he will speak at Upbit 2025 in South Korea to present the WCT roadmap and explain how WalletConnect is enabling smart wallets and crypto payments. Source: X post by @pedrouid on Sep 9, 2025.

According to @AveryChing, South Korea’s largest retailer Lotte has successfully onboarded more than 500,000 on-chain users using the Aptos blockchain, demonstrating the scalability and reliability of Aptos technology for large-scale retail adoption. This milestone highlights growing institutional trust in blockchain infrastructure and is likely to boost Aptos (APT) trading interest as mass adoption signals increased transaction volume and network activity. The integration by a major retailer like Lotte is expected to influence broader crypto market sentiment and attract further enterprise engagement. Source: @AveryChing

According to @KookCapitalLLC, South Korean retail traders have driven a massive rally in Circle (CRCL) stock, pouring nearly $450 million into the company and making it the most-bought overseas stock in June, as reported by Bloomberg. Since its debut on June 5, the stock has surged over 500%, reflecting a broader investment thesis tied to South Korea's new reforms to legalize won-backed stablecoins. This positions Circle as a key global proxy for stablecoin adoption, echoing the local "Kimchi premium" phenomenon where retail investors aggressively chase high-volatility assets. In other news, crypto exchange OKX is considering a U.S. initial public offering (IPO), according to its Chief Marketing Officer Haider Rafique in an interview with The Information. The announcement triggered a sharp, albeit temporary, 9.8% spike in OKX's native token, OKB, which jumped from approximately $50 to $55.11 before retracing. This potential IPO signals renewed confidence in OKX's U.S. strategy, following a recent $500 million settlement with the Department of Justice.

According to @KookCapitalLLC, despite a constructive macroeconomic backdrop, the broader crypto market is showing signs of fatigue and potential profit-taking. Major cryptocurrencies including Dogecoin (DOGE), Tron (TRX), XRP (XRP), BNB (BNB), Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA) have posted losses between 3% and 5.5%. Ether (ETH), which recently outperformed, has also cooled after briefly touching $2,800, prompting cautious traders to lock in gains near resistance levels. However, analysts remain positive on the macro outlook. Augustine Fan of SignalPlus noted that mainstream sentiment has improved following Circle's successful IPO, as cited in the report. Jeffrey Ding, Chief Analyst at HashKey Group, pointed to progress in U.S.-China trade talks and softer inflation data as favorable for risk assets. Separately, a frenzy among South Korean retail investors has driven Circle (CRCL) stock up over 500% since its debut, with nearly $450 million invested this month, a trend linked to the country's upcoming legalization of KRW-backed stablecoins.