Korea Daily FX Turnover 2025 Hits Record $80.71 Billion Amid Stock Trading Boom
South Korea's daily FX turnover hit a record $80.71 billion in 2025, driven by a massive increase in cross-border stock investments by both residents and foreigners.
South Korea's financial borders are wider than ever. Daily foreign exchange (FX) trading by banks in the country reached an all-time high of $80.71 billion in 2025, fueled by a surge in cross-border stock investments.
According to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK), the average daily turnover jumped 17 percent from the previous year's $68.96 billion. It's the highest level recorded since the current statistical standards were adopted in 2008.
Key Drivers Behind Korea Daily FX Turnover 2025 Spike
The primary engine behind this growth was the explosion in cross-border stock trading. Average daily spot FX turnover climbed 26.1 percent to $32.38 billion, while derivatives trading increased 11.6 percent to $48.33 billion.
Local residents' investment in overseas stocks reached $129.4 billion in the first 11 months of last year, nearly doubling the $72.2 billion recorded in the prior year. Simultaneously, foreign investors' interest in South Korean equities soared, with investments jumping 129 percent year-on-year to $50.4 billion in 2025.
Market Liberalization and Regulatory Response
A BOK official noted that extended trading hours played a significant role in facilitating this activity. To maintain stability, the South Korean government has temporarily suspended FX stabilization fees to boost supply and formed an interagency Task Force to crack down on illegal transactions.
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