Easing U.S.-China Trade Strain Sparks Risk-On Rally in South Korea’s Crypto Markets

South Korea’s crypto traders are making bold bets on XRP and Dogecoin, riding a fresh wave of optimism after a breakthrough in U.S.-China trade relations reignited risk appetite across global markets.

The two popular altcoins surged double digits over the weekend, dominating trading activity on Korean exchanges like UpBit and Bithumb. According to data from CryptoQuant, volumes for XRP/KRW and DOGE/KRW spiked to their highest levels since early March, suggesting a swift shift back toward high-volatility assets.

The move comes after Washington and Beijing announced a temporary easing of tariffs following intense negotiations in Geneva. The trade détente has lifted sentiment across equity and crypto markets alike, with investors interpreting it as a sign of geopolitical stabilization.

“Retail traders in Korea are typically first movers during macro inflection points,” said Hyeonwoo Choi, an analyst at Seoul-based BlockWave. “With trade tensions easing and inflation expectations falling, they’re clearly positioning for a broad crypto rebound.”

Bitcoin and Ethereum also posted gains, but it’s altcoins like XRP and DOGE that have captured the speculative energy, fueling talk of a new retail-led rally in Asia’s most active crypto market.