Upbit's next move: from Korea's #1 to global contender.

SeonJoo Yoon, Chief Brand & Impact Officer at Upbit, joins CoinDesk’s Sam Ewen to break down why Korea is one of the most fascinating crypto markets on the planet and how Upbit, the country's dominant exchange with 13 million KYC'd users and $1.5 trillion in cumulative trading volume, is now setting its sights far beyond its home turf.

01:50 - SJ's Early Career Path

05:35 - What Led SJ Yoon Into Web3 and Crypto

14:17 - Korean Tech Culture: Adoption, Connectivity, and Retail Trading Appetite

20:19 - Upbit's Stablecoin Project and Why Stablecoins Matter in Korea's Mobile-First Economy

23:58 - AI-Era payments, CBDC vs. Stablecoin Debate, and Upbit's Layer 2 (with Optimism)

26:03 - Bridging Korean Users to Global Institutions

28:51 - GIWA Web3 Infrastructure, AI Agent Wallets, GASOK accelerator

30:29 - Upbit’s Global Expansion

32:52 - Korea's Regulatory Landscape and the Digital Asset Act

34:42 - Upbit’s Presence at Korea Blockchain Week

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JPEG Trading is a global proprietary trading firm specializing in cryptocurrency and decentralized finance markets. From market structure and liquidity provision to quantitative trading strategies, JPEG Trading operates across the full spectrum of blockchain-based assets. Follow @jpegtrading on X to stay ahead of the latest developments in digital asset markets: https://x.com/jpegtrading

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"Spotlight" features host Sam Ewen.