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Martial Law Spurs Volatility in South Korea’s Crypto Market

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South Korean cryptocurrency markets experienced significant turbulence following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s unexpected martial law declaration, creating a notable divergence between global and local crypto prices.

Bitcoin fell as low as $79,000, and XRP traded at $1.89 on Upbit for over an hour. This saw users crowd the exchanges to file purchase orders and buy these tokens at an unprecedented low price for the bull market.

A Brief Chaos in South Korea’s Crypto Market

The political crisis began when President Yoon declared martial law Tuesday night, prompting military forces to attempt entry into parliament. Yoon justified the move as necessary to combat “pro-North Korean anti-state forces.”

This announcement drove the country’s economy into a momentary chaos. The South Korean Won’s price surged against the USD, which meant a brief crypto arbitrage opportunity opened up for USDT holders.

Bitcoin plunged over 30% on South Korean exchanges, including Upbit, during Tuesday night trading while dropping only 2% in global markets. The stark difference reflected both panic selling by local traders and a nearly 3% surge in the USD/KRW exchange rate.

south korea's crypto market tumbles
Source: Upbit

According to Lookonchain data, over $163 million USDT flowed into Upbit alone, as many whales placed large orders of USDT. However, lawmakers, including the leader of his own party, Han Dong-hoon, swiftly challenged martial law to restore order back to the economy.

Parliamentary opposition proved effective, with lawmakers voting to reject the martial law declaration early Wednesday. Markets stabilized following parliament’s intervention, with Bitcoin recovering to $95,167 as of 17:30 UTC on Wednesday after briefly surpassing $96,000.

Prediction Markets React

Political uncertainty has spilled into crypto prediction markets, with Polymarket launching a betting a betting pool on President Yoon’s potential resignation. The market asks whether Yoon will leave office between December 2 and 31, 2024. As of 17:30 UTC Wednesday, approximately $257,000 in bets have been placed, with a 61% probability assigned to Yoon’s resignation.

The episode highlights the growing interconnection between political stability and cryptocurrency markets, particularly in regions with high crypto adoption, like South Korea.

Polymarket Ods on South Korea's President
Polymarket Ods on South Korea’s President. Source: Polymarket

Throughout this year, South Korea’s crypto market has seen increasing activity from local users despite regulatory challenges. As BeInCrypto reported in October, the country saw a record 67% increase in daily trading volume, hitting 6 trillion won.

However, crypto exchanges, particularly Upbit, have continually faced regulatory hurdles. In November, financial watchdogs flagged 600,000 potential KYC violations on the exchange. These violations have threatened Upbit’s license renewal despite the exchange’s commitment to transparency.

Regulators also launched an investigation into Upbit’s potential monopoly over South Korea’s crypto market. The exchange is also alleged to be associated with pump-and-dump schemes, exploiting regulatory gaps and attracting scrutiny.

At the same time, nearly 35% of cryptocurrencies on various South Korean exchanges were delisted, with half lasting less than two years. These delistings resulted in major investor losses due to declining liquidity and plummeting prices on inaccessible coins.

Disclaimer

In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.



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Will It Smash Another ATH?

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Bitcoin price started a fresh increase above the $104,000 zone. BTC is consolidating above $105,000 and might aim for a new all-time high.

  • Bitcoin started a decent increase above the $102,500 resistance zone.
  • The price is trading above $104,500 and the 100 hourly Simple moving average.
  • There was a break above a connecting bearish trend line with resistance at $104,000 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken).
  • The pair could start another increase if it stays above the $103,500 support zone.

Bitcoin Price Regains Traction

Bitcoin price started a decent upward move above the $102,500 zone. BTC was able to climb above the $103,500 and $104,000 levels.

The bulls even pushed the price above the $105,000 level. Besides, there was a break above a connecting bearish trend line with resistance at $104,000 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. The pair surpassed the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $109,112 swing high to the $100,114 low.

Bitcoin price is now trading above $104,500 and the 100 hourly Simple moving average. On the upside, immediate resistance is near the $107,000 level. It is close to the 76.4% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $109,112 swing high to the $100,114 low.

The first key resistance is near the $107,500 level. A clear move above the $107,500 resistance might send the price higher. The next key resistance could be $109,000.

Bitcoin Price
Source: BTCUSD on TradingView.com

A close above the $109,000 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $110,000 resistance level and a new all-time high. Any more gains might send the price toward the $112,500 level.

Downside Correction In BTC?

If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $107,000 resistance zone, it could start a downside correction. Immediate support on the downside is near the $104,500 level. The first major support is near the $103,500 level.

The next support is now near the $102,800 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $100,500 support in the near term.

Technical indicators:

Hourly MACD – The MACD is now gaining pace in the bullish zone.

Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level.

Major Support Levels – $104,500, followed by $103,500.

Major Resistance Levels – $107,000 and $108,500.



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Trump’s $500 Billion Stargate Venture Sparks AI Crypto Boom

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AI tokens surged on Wednesday after President Donald Trump unveiled a new joint venture to invest up to $500 billion in artificial intelligence infrastructure. 

The partnership involves major players such as OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank and will form a new entity called Stargate.

Market Focuses on AI Coins as Trump’s Stargate Initiative Gains Traction

The Stargate Project will invest $500 billion over the next four years, building new AI infrastructure in the US. The venture will focus on developing crucial data centers and the electricity generation required to power the AI sector.

The announcement has already had a noticeable impact on the broader market, particularly in AI-related cryptocurrencies. Following the news, the market capitalization of AI tokens surged by 9%, reaching $45.83 billion at press time, according to CoinGecko.

In fact, the market cap of AI agent tokens alone rose by 13% to hit $14.9 billion.

AI agent tokens, such as Virtuals Protocol, AIXBT, and AI16Z, saw impressive gains. Virtuals Protocol rose by over 13% in the past 24 hours, while AI16Z experienced a remarkable 36% increase. AIXBT token rose by 27% over the same period.

AI tokens
Price Performance of AI Agent Tokens. Source: CoinGecko

The surge in AI tokens reflects a broader shift in market interest as investors move capital towards more “sentient” tokens.

“Capital is rotating back from static memes to sentient coins,” AI researcher S4mmy commented on Twitter.

The analyst added that Fartcoin and AIXBT are sustaining their “mindshare dominance,” but face declining market caps after a heated run. Commenting on Virtuals Protocol, he said it continues to solidify its position as a backbone of the Agentic infrastructure.

Moreover, analyst CyrilXBT said he believes “AI will create generational wealth in 2025.”

“People said Bitcoin was a joke. People said AI agents are a gimmick. Guess what else they’ll say? ‘Why didn’t I listen when generational wealth was staring me in the face?,” CyrilXBT commented.

The shift towards AI is particularly interesting, given the trend of investments a few days back. Capital was flowing into Donald Trump-related tokens, such as TRUMP and MELANIA, which have seen significant volatility

However, BeInCrypto reported that smart money traders are now focusing on AI tokens after the hype around TRUMP faded. According to data from Nansen, a substantial amount of VIRTUAL, FARTCOIN, and AIXBT tokens are held by smart money.

Disclaimer

In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.



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Will an Upside Break Spark a Surge?

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Ethereum price is struggling below the $3,500 resistance while Bitcoin gains. ETH is consolidating above $3,150 and might aim for an upside break.

  • Ethereum failed to gain pace for a close above $3,400 and $3,450.
  • The price is trading above $3,300 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average.
  • There is a key contracting triangle forming with resistance at $3,355 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken).
  • The pair could start another increase if it clears the $3,400 resistance level.

Ethereum Price Aims Key Upside Break

Ethereum price started a decent upward move from the $3,200 level but upsides were limited compared to Bitcoin. ETH cleared the $3,250 resistance to move into a short-term bullish zone.

The bulls were able to push the price above the $3,300 resistance zone. Besides, there was a clear move above the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $3,445 swing high to the $3,203 low. However, the bears are still active below $3,400.

Ethereum price is now trading above $3,300 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. On the upside, the price seems to be facing hurdles near the $3,350 level or the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $3,445 swing high to the $3,203 low.

There is also a key contracting triangle forming with resistance at $3,355 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD. The first major resistance is near the $3,400 level. The main resistance is now forming near $3,445.

Ethereum Price
Source: ETHUSD on TradingView.com

A clear move above the $3,445 resistance might send the price toward the $3,550 resistance. An upside break above the $3,550 resistance might call for more gains in the coming sessions. In the stated case, Ether could rise toward the $3,650 resistance zone or even $3,720 in the near term.

Another Decline In ETH?

If Ethereum fails to clear the $3,400 resistance, it could start another decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $3,300 level. The first major support sits near the $3,250.

A clear move below the $3,250 support might push the price toward the $3,200 support. Any more losses might send the price toward the $3,120 support level in the near term. The next key support sits at $3,050.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACDThe MACD for ETH/USD is losing momentum in the bullish zone.

Hourly RSIThe RSI for ETH/USD is now above the 50 zone.

Major Support Level – $3,200

Major Resistance Level – $3,400



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