According to data received from virtual asset exchanges Upbit and Bithumb by Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Do-geol, a member of the National Assembly’s Strategy and Finance Committee, a total of 3,759 individuals held over 1 billion KRW (approximately $750,000) in virtual assets at the end of last year. These two exchanges account for about 90% of the market, meaning the number could increase if other exchanges are included.
Among them, 185 individuals in their 20s held more than 1 billion KRW in virtual assets, with a combined total value of approximately 967.2 billion KRW, averaging 5.2 billion KRW per person. The industry speculates that many of these individuals may have inherited wealth and diversified their assets, including investments in virtual currencies, or they may have grown their wealth as professional investors.
By age group, those in their 40s were the largest holders of accounts exceeding 1 billion KRW, with 1,297 individuals. The total value of their holdings was around 12 trillion KRW, with an average of 9.29 billion KRW per person.
However, in terms of total asset value, people in their 50s held the most. While 930 individuals in this age group held accounts over 1 billion KRW, their combined assets amounted to 13.82 trillion KRW, averaging 14.86 billion KRW per person.
Meanwhile, the total number of active virtual asset accounts on Upbit and Bithumb was 7.7 million, with an average account balance of 8.93 million KRW. This highlights the significant concentration of wealth in the hands of a few individuals. Lawmaker Ahn emphasized the need for government efforts to manage virtual assets transparently and systematically, as they have become a widely accepted alternative investment asset.
