South Korean Stablecoin Records 18 Consecutive Months of Net Outflow, with a Net Withdrawal of 560.3 Billion KRW in June

August 2nd. According to Yonhap News Agency, data from the Financial Supervisory Service of South Korea shows that in June 2026, South Korea's top five cryptocurrency exchanges transferred out 2.7625 trillion South Korean won to overseas exchanges, and received 2.2022 trillion South Korean won, resulting in a net outflow of 560.3 billion South Korean won.

During the same period, South Korean investors net purchased approximately 722.0 billion South Korean won of overseas stocks, with the net outflow of stablecoins accounting for 77.6% of that amount. From January 2025 to June 2026, South Korean stablecoins have experienced a continuous net outflow to overseas for 18 months. In just the second quarter of this year, the net outflow of stablecoins was 1.6872 trillion South Korean won, while overseas stocks saw a net sell-off of 1.6185 trillion South Korean won.

The transferred stablecoins are mainly used for overseas derivative trading not offered by domestic South Korean exchanges. Some overseas platforms have recently launched spot and futures products for South Korean stocks such as Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Hyundai Motor, offering leverage of up to several tens of times. Assets have also flowed offshore towards RWA, DeFi, and staking services.

South Korean Congressman Lee Jong-uk stated that as funds continue to move offshore, investors are being exposed to high-risk derivatives. The government should re-examine investor protection and management systems, and accelerate institutional reforms.