South Korea's 24-Hour Forex Market Sees Trading Volume Rise 11% in First Month

According to Yonhapinfomax, South Korea's 24-hour forex market, which opened on July 6, recorded an average daily spot transaction volume of $19.23 billion in its first month through August 5, up 11% compared to the pre-opening average of $17.33 billion and 33.1% higher than the 2025 daily average of $14.45 billion, as of August 6.

However, trading during off-peak hours—particularly early morning sessions and domestic holidays—remains thin. On July 17 (Constitution Day), trading volume dropped to just $119 million, less than 1% of typical daily volume. Market participants noted that night-time liquidity and bid-ask spreads remain challenges, though government authorities are exploring incentive mechanisms to attract offshore traders and gradually convert non-deliverable forwards into deliverable contracts.