[The Korea Times: South Koreans Lose Interest in Cryptocurrency Trading] Odaily Planet Daily reports that South Korea's retail cryptocurrency trading volume in the first quarter of this year was $69 billion, ranking second globally, only behind the United States' $212 billion. Data shows that South Korea's cryptocurrency trading volume for the quarter fell by 28% year-on-year, the largest decline among major global markets. In comparison, the trading volume in the United States was $212 billion, Russia $4.8 billion, India $4.6 billion, and Turkey $4 billion. Analysts point out that the rise in South Korea's semiconductor sector in the stock market has absorbed a significant amount of retail investor funds. Additionally, South Korea's Virtual Asset User Protection Act has raised compliance requirements, limiting domestic exchanges to spot trading, while overseas platforms offer a broader range of products, including derivatives and leverage. (koreatimes)