In a remarkable development for the Ripple ecosystem, XRP has emerged as the most traded cryptocurrency on South Korea’s leading exchange, Upbit, throughout 2025, surpassing even Bitcoin and Ethereum in total transaction volume. According to exchange and third-party data, cumulative XRP trading activity on Upbit exceeded $1 trillion over the past year—a testament to the token’s deep liquidity and sustained interest among Korean traders.
XRP Dominates Upbit Trading in 2025
Upbit, widely regarded as South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, reported exceptionally high trading volumes for XRP throughout 2025. Metrics compiled from exchange order books and market data aggregators show that XRP consistently outpaced Bitcoin and Ethereum in total annual traded volume, surpassing the trillion-dollar mark by early January.
This performance makes XRP the single most traded digital asset on Upbit for the year, a notable reversal of the usual global hierarchy where Bitcoin and Ethereum dominate volume metrics. The statistics come from industry data aggregators and live ledger feeds captured throughout 2025, revealing sustained trading activity on XRP’s KRW (Korean won) pairs.
Local tracking services report that XRP’s share of Upbit’s total volume often eclipsed 15% and, at peak periods, accounted for more than 30% of daily turnover across all assets traded on the platform.
Trading volume and pricing often go hand in hand in cryptocurrency markets. The combination of regulatory clarity, institutional inflows, and increased retail engagement, such as on Upbit, sent the XRP price upwards by almost 400% over the year.
Why South Korean Traders Favor XRP
XRP’s strong footing in South Korea is not a recent development; the past year has only amplified a relationship that has been building for several market cycles. XRP’s fast settlement times and relatively low transaction costs make it particularly attractive for South Korean crypto traders who frequently move in and out of positions, especially on KRW-denominated pairs.
Another key factor behind XRP’s popularity in Korea is accessibility. On exchanges like Upbit, XRP has some of the most liquid KRW trading pairs, often rivaling or even surpassing Bitcoin and Ethereum in daily turnover.
This liquidity reduces slippage for large trades and creates an environment where both retail traders and high-volume participants can execute strategies efficiently.
Cultural trading behavior could have also played a role. South Korea’s crypto market is known for its fast-moving sentiment shifts and strong reaction to narratives. XRP’s recent regulatory clarity and renewed global attention provided a compelling story for local traders, many of whom closely monitor such developments. Once XRP shed much of its regulatory overhang, it quickly re-entered the spotlight as a “safe-to-trade” asset with upside potential.
The CoinRemark Team
Evans Kelvin
