According to CryptoPotato, the Bitcoin kimchi premium in South Korea has seen a significant drop amidst a wider market decline, indicating a decrease in enthusiasm among the country's digital asset investors. Data from CryptoQuant reveals that the Bitcoin kimchi premium fell to 1.5% during the afternoon trading session in Asia on Friday.
The kimchi premium is a measure of the difference between Bitcoin's valuation on South Korean exchanges and global crypto trading platforms. The price of Bitcoin (BTC) on South Korean exchanges differs from that on global platforms due to capital control policies that prevent foreign investors from trading on local platforms and local investors from participating in arbitrage trades. These restrictions have resulted in a limited supply of crypto in South Korea, leading to significant price gaps due to high demand.
The kimchi premium has become a key indicator for monitoring changes in the crypto space and investor sentiment. A high premium indicates bullish investor sentiment compared to the international market, while a lower figure signifies bearish sentiment and decreasing buying pressure. With the premium currently at 1.54%, it appears that South Korean investors' interest in Bitcoin has waned. This trend is also reflected in the top local exchanges, which have seen a decrease in trading volumes, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
The last time the Bitcoin kimchi premium was around its current level was in mid-February when BTC was valued at approximately $48,200. By the first week of March, the index had risen to a 27-month high of 10.32%. It continued to increase in the following weeks, reaching 11.44% when BTC hit a new all-time high. However, the premium has been steadily declining since BTC fell from its all-time high and settled below $70,000. Since April, the crypto market has experienced a downturn, and the index has not been spared. BTC has fallen below $60,000, reaching $56,700 before bouncing back. At the time of writing, the asset was trading at $63,000, up 3.2% in the past 24 hours.
Despite this, the current level of the kimchi premium could be a positive sign for the crypto market, as it suggests there is potential for a rally, and a significant BTC recovery could be on the horizon.
