KOSPI 8.22% drop halts trading; Upbit BTC volume up 4%

South Korea’s KOSPI fell 8.22% on July 13, activating a 20-minute phase-one market halt under Korea Exchange rules. On July 14, trading volume for Bitcoin on local exchange Upbit rose to 8,724 BTC, an increase of about 4% from the prior day.

Upbit reported BTC volume of 7,436 at 06:10 UTC on July 12, 8,379 on July 13 and 8,724 on July 14. The moves represent a 12.67% increase from July 12 to July 13 and a 4.12% rise from July 13 to July 14. The July 14 figure is about 27% below the 30-observation average of 12,014 BTC and about 57% below the series high of 20,506 BTC recorded on June 26.

The market halt is triggered when the KOSPI falls 8% or more from the previous close within one minute, pausing trading for 20 minutes. The equity decline followed higher oil prices and steep losses in major semiconductor companies that weigh on the KOSPI.

Data for the second quarter show the combined average daily balance of margin loans and stock-backed loans rose to 61.98 trillion won, up from 57.42 trillion won in the first quarter.

Upbit’s BTC volume rose alongside the equity sell-off but remained below its recent 30-observation average and well under the late-June peak. Exchange-level activity increased from July 12 levels but did not reach the series high recorded on June 26.

The published figures show the timing and size of the changes in on-exchange crypto volume and the equity market halt, along with contemporaneous leverage data for Korean stock markets.