Yahoo Crypto Market • October 8th 2026, 12:21 PM
AI Crypto Tokens Take South Korea by Storm, Overtaking Ripple XRP
Key Summary
According to Chainalysis, AI-linked cryptocurrencies have become South Korea's leading crypto category by June 2026, overtaking payment-focused assets such as XRP. The finding reflects a shift in retail trading preferences, with Korean retail traders moving through the AI category faster and more intensely than traders in other markets. The wider South Korea crypto market also grew during the period, with $449Bn in crypto activity and a 16.3% increase in the country's exchange ecosystem.
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Market Shift in South Korea
Chainalysis examined crypto activity from July 2025 through June 2026, measuring thematic categories by their share of Korean won-denominated trading volume. The finding reflects a shift in retail trading preferences in a space with a long history with Ripple XRP.AI-led Thematic Categories
AI-linked cryptocurrencies became South Korea's leading crypto category by June 2026, overtaking payment-focused assets such as XRP, according to Chainalysis. The report defines this group as assets linked to AI-focused projects or AI infrastructure.Market Growth in South Korea
The wider South Korea crypto market also grew during the period, with $449Bn in crypto activity and a 16.3% increase in the country's exchange ecosystem. Korean retail traders moved through the AI category faster and more intensely than traders in other markets.Token Performance
The leading AI-linked tokens by reported trading volume were Worldcoin (WLD) at $7.41Bn, SAHARA at $3.2Bn, VIRTUAL at $2.7Bn, BIO at $2Bn, and NEAR at $1.7Bn. The leaderboard has also shifted: VIRTUAL and KAITO led AI-related tokens in 2025 before Worldcoin and SAHARA moved ahead.#SouthKorea#AIcrypto#CryptoMarket#XRP#Ripple