(Kim Jae-hoon)
South Korea’s average daily foreign exchange transactions exceeded $100 billion in the first quarter of 2026, reaching an all-time high level. This surge was driven by a combination of increased foreign capital inflows and heightened exchange rate volatility.
According to data released by the Bank of Korea on Wednesday, the average daily foreign exchange trading volume during the period was recorded at $102.65 billion, up 21.3 percent from the previous record high of $84.62 billion in the fourth quarter of last year. It marked the highest quarterly figure since the statistical revision in 2008.
The BOK attributed the increase mainly to a rise in foreign investors’ trading of domestic securities, as well as increased hedging demand due to greater volatility in the won-dollar exchange rate.
Seasonal factors also played a role, as foreign exchange trading typically declines in the fourth quarter due to year-end settlement effects and then rebounds in the first quarter of the following year.
Spot exchange transactions jumped 26.2 percent to $42.39 billion per day, while derivatives trading rose 18.1 percent to $60.2 billion.
By institution, branches of foreign banks saw a 28 percent surge in activity to $56.4 billion, outpacing a 14 percent rise at domestic banks to $46.2 billion. The divergence reflects a rapid expansion of transactions linked to global capital flows.
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