"RLUSD is now live across Korea’s four largest exchanges," said Jack McDonald, Ripple’s Senior VP of Stablecoins, highlighting the milestone on social media. The stablecoin has finally gained direct access to South Korea’s dominant crypto markets, including Upbit and Bithumb, the country’s two largest licensed exchanges.
Earlier this year, Coinone and Korbit had already introduced RLUSD trading pairs. However, the recent listings on Upbit and Bithumb mark a significant expansion, opening new doors for won-based traders who previously had limited mainstream options for direct stablecoin access aside from Bitcoin and Tether. Upbit’s announcement on July 27 detailed trading availability for RLUSD against KRW, BTC, and USDT, enabling multiple routes to enter the market with the stablecoin.
Bithumb followed shortly on July 29, becoming the final piece to complete RLUSD's presence across South Korea's four largest exchanges. Deposits and withdrawals are secured through the XRP Ledger exclusively, reinforcing Ripple’s strategy for stablecoin accessibility within regulatory frameworks. These developments come as part of Ripple’s broader vision to deepen its foothold in Asia’s highly competitive digital assets scene and to cultivate liquidity that supports sustained adoption.
The move places RLUSD firmly among major players addressing South Korea’s active crypto ecosystem, where won-based trading volumes remain solid. With direct KRW pairs now established on every significant platform, market watchers will be keen to see if RLUSD maintains momentum beyond initial enthusiasm and how this compares with alternatives in a region known for quick shifts in digital asset preferences.
This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
