XRP Volume Surges in Korea After Traders Exploit Spot-Only Exchange Loophole

Published at 2026-01-17 13:30:07

XRP has become the go-to token for many retail traders in South Korea, surpassing Bitcoin and Ethereum in local trading activity as market participants exploited a spot-only exchange loophole to concentrate volume. That behavior has pushed XRP to the forefront of Korea’s fast-paced retail market, even as global institutional capital continues to favor Bitcoin as the primary store of value.

The development matters because concentrated regional flows can change price discovery, create local premiums or disparities versus global markets, and draw regulatory attention to exchange rules. For traders and platforms, the episode highlights how market microstructure — not just fundamentals — can shift demand quickly. Investors should watch Korean order books and exchange policies for signals that could ripple into broader crypto liquidity and pricing dynamics.

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