South Korea’s Digi...

South Korea’s Digital Rush: Over a Quarter of 20- to 50-Somethings Now Crypto Holders

By José Oramas June 30, 2025 In Cryptocurrency, Digital Asset, South Korea

Over 25% of South Koreans aged 20–50 now hold crypto, with digital assets making up about 14% of their finances.
78% of Koreans in their 50s view crypto as savings, with over half including it in retirement plans.
Regular crypto buying rose from 10% to 34%, mid-term trading from 26% to 47%, driven by political shifts under new president Lee Jae-myung, who’s moving forward with his plans to build a pro-crypto country with spot ETFs, stablecoins laws, and more.

More than a quarter of South Koreans between 20 and 50 now hold crypto, folding digital assets into about 14% of their total finances.

Hana Institute of Finance’s latest paper, titled “2050 Generation’s Virtual Asset Investment Trends”, breaks it down as follows: investors in their 40s control 31 % of the pile, people in their 30s own 28%, and those in their 50s claim 25%.

The age gap that once defined crypto in Korea is narrowing fast, now just a 22% spread across brackets once far apart.

Strong Appetite for Crypto, No Matter the Age

Most South Koreans in their 50s now see crypto as more than speculation. 78 % use it to build savings, and over half say it’s part of their retirement plan. Growth, diversification, and structured savings rank highest as reasons to keep buying in.

Moreover, 70% plan to expand holdings. 42% want banks to take a bigger role in crypto markets, and 35 % point to stronger legal protections as the key to investing more.

The report highlights that investors making regular crypto purchases rose from 10% to 34%, while mid-term trading jumped from 26% to 47%. Short-term flips dropped slightly. Information sources are changing in lockstep. In general, more users turn to official exchanges and data platforms.

All said and done, Yoon Sun-young, researcher at Hana, stated that investors are expecting cryptocurrencies to take on a bigger role in institutions and in the country’s financial sector.

It is necessary to prepare preemptively for the expansion of the investment ecosystem, such as diversifying virtual asset-based financial products, upgrading integrated investment management, and collaboration with the virtual asset industry.

Yoon Sun-young, researcher at Hana Financial Research Institute

Bitcoin, of course, is the preferred choice, with six in ten holding BTC. Nevertheless, those a bit more experienced are pushing toward altcoins and stablecoins, some even Non-Fungible Tokens.

Naturally, it all has to do with the recent political shift in South Korea. As Crypto News Australia reported, Lee Jae-myung is the new president, and he has some interesting proposals for the crypto industry in the country, including legalising spot crypto ETFs, and opening the floodgates for local stablecoin issuers.