A recent study highlighting data from South Korea reveals a significant surge in domestic cryptocurrency ownership, with the number of investors exceeding 9.6 million by the end of last year. This represents a remarkable 52.6% increase compared to the previous year, underscoring a growing embrace of digital assets within the South Korean population.

Notably, the study also indicates a substantial rise in ownership among older demographics, with one in four cryptocurrency investors now over the age of 50. The data, compiled by Ahn Do-jae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, and sourced from five major domestic virtual currency exchanges – Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax – paints a clear picture of the burgeoning crypto market in the East Asian nation.

As noted by a local report, the increased number of digital assets owning Koreans also surpassed the $68.06 billion or 100 trillion won mark, demonstrating the increasing financial stake individuals are placing in digital assets.

A key trend highlighted by the data is the significant growth in cryptocurrency ownership among older age groups. The number of investors in their 50s reached 1.75 million by the end of 20224, marking a substantial 56.4% year-on-year increase. Similarly, investors over 60 also saw a sharp rise, from 371,800 to 636,700, representing a 52.6% jump within the same period.

This shift in demographics suggests that cryptocurrencies are no longer solely the domain of younger, tech-savvy individuals. Older generations are increasingly recognizing the potential of digital assets, whether as an investment opportunity, a hedge against traditional market volatility, or as part of a broader trend toward digital financial tools.

The study findings further shed light on the profile of “big investors” – those holding more than $680,000 in virtual currencies. Among the 9,135 individuals in this category across the five exchanges, a significant portion are over 50 years old. Specifically, 35.2% (3,215) were over 50, and 19.9% (1,817) were over 60. The average big investor over 50 holds $1.46 million worth of virtual currencies. Commenting on the findings, Ahn highlighted the importance of investor protection.

“To protect investors, a minimum regulatory framework should be established as soon as possible,” he stressed.

免责声明：本文章仅代表作者个人观点，不代表本平台的立场和观点。本文章仅供信息分享，不构成对任何人的任何投资建议。用户与作者之间的任何争议，与本平台无关。如网页中刊载的文章或图片涉及侵权，请提供相关的权利证明和身份证明发送邮件到support@aicoin.com，本平台相关工作人员将会进行核查。