Berachain returned to Korea Blockchain Week with clear intent: to deepen relationships, expand our presence, and position the network for long-term success in one of the world’s most important crypto markets.In the first half of 2025, KRW-denominated trading volume reached 663 billion dollars, second only to the United States, and more than triple that of the Eurozone. The country’s influence on global crypto flows is undeniable, and its appetite for trading, building, and engaging with new technologies makes it a strategic priority for any serious protocol.

In 2024, we laid the groundwork. In 2025, we moved forward with a stronger team, a sharper focus, and a loyal community that continues to show up and grow.

Why KBW 2025 Felt Different

The event itself has matured. Attendance was high, but more importantly, the energy was focused. Korea has long been a retail crypto powerhouse, and its trading volumes now rank among the largest in the world, behind only the United States and ahead of the Eurozone. The conversation has also shifted. Korea is no longer asking whether crypto has a place in its future. It’s figuring out how to integrate it more deeply into its financial system and culture. That shift was visible across every venue and discussion, with many conversations exploring how Korea’s approach could influence international markets.

As a cohost for Hack VC’s hack.summit, Berachain’s booth stayed busy and Smokey took the mainstage to speak on Berachain building businesses. We also hosted a K-pop onchain panel featuring Yeojin, of LOONA and Loossemble, who spoke about the future of fan engagement and ownership, and Starglow, a native Korean project building infrastructure for artists and fandoms on Berachain, alongside Charles Kim of Y&Archer and Sangjin Lee of RedSlippers. The panel explored how Korea’s cultural exports, from music to fandom, can find new models of ownership and rewards on Berachain. Cultural adoption in Korea can set the model for how crypto expands distribution worldwide.

During the week Infrared, Lair, and DeSpread ran a shuttle and cafe finishing with an eco side event that highlighted the strength of the local community. Infrared drew strong interest from users watching its points program and hoping for a Q4 TGE, while Lair shined as a premier Korean DeFi protocol amidst bigger conversations about the future of DeFi in the age of new regulatory changes.. DeSpread anchored the gathering by bringing together contributors, validators, and longtime Berachain supporters. Together, the event showed how global projects and Korean builders are starting to move in the same direction, and how Berachain can be at the center of that momentum.

What Berachain Brings to the Table in Korea

The energy around KBW underscored why Korea doesn’t need another general-purpose blockchain. It’s ready for infrastructure that can support the scale, complexity, and the speed of its crypto economy. Berachain was designed from first principles to reward aligned behavior, support high-throughput use cases, and serve as a platform for digital businesses that go beyond speculation.

This is a market that understands incentives. Korea has always moved quickly when the systems make sense. Berachain’s design— Proof of Liquidity, native stable primitives, native staking, and incentive-aligned architecture— is uniquely suited to how Koreans already interact with crypto. 

On the regulatory front, momentum is building. Policymakers are actively engaging with the crypto industry, and new frameworks for digital assets and cross-border capital flows are under serious discussion. During KBW, Avenue, Berachain’s Korea lead, attended seminars held at the National Assembly, joining conversations with lawmakers and industry leaders shaping the next phase of regulation. Berachain’s presence in these rooms positions itself as ready to fully leverage the upcoming regulatory tailwinds. 

A Look Ahead

Next comes scale. That means supporting builders, onboarding users, enabling local institutions, and continuing to grow trust through consistent delivery. We are investing in relationships, infrastructure, and education to ensure Bera becomes the default choice for Korean developers and projects.

Korea also sets precedent for the broader region. What succeeds here often scales across Asia. Berachain’s ability to align with Korean builders and communities gives us a unique edge across adjacent markets.

We’re just getting started.

베라체인. 인 코리아.