- Korean stocks fell ₩202T amid Middle East tensions, spiking regional oil supply fears.
- Bitcoin shows resilience, drawing younger investors amid fiat currency devaluation pressures.
- Institutional interest rises as ZeroStack invests $107M in AI-focused 0G token ecosystem.
Global markets reeled on fresh geopolitical fears as investors rapidly pulled back risk exposure. Ash Crypto highlighted a massive ₩202 trillion wipeout in South Korea’s stock market.
The sudden decline followed escalating rhetoric from Donald Trump regarding extended U.S. military action against Iran. Consequently, traders reacted quickly, pricing in prolonged instability across energy and financial markets.
Korean Market Wipes ₩202 Trillion Amid Iran Tension
According to Ash Crypto, South Korea’s stock market lost ₩202 trillion in a single session. The drop followed renewed concerns that U.S. strikes on Iran could continue for weeks.
Tensions intensified after signals that the United States could expand military actions against Iran in the coming weeks, consequently, markets priced in prolonged instability across the Middle East.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil route, emerged as a central concern. Any disruption there threatens energy supplies to major Asian economies.
Moreover, traders feared rising oil prices could pressure inflation and slow economic growth. Asian markets reacted first, with South Korea seeing one of the sharpest declines. Besides, institutional investors reduced exposure to volatile sectors, accelerating the selloff.
Crypto Liquidations Surge
At the same time, the cryptocurrency market saw heavy liquidations as volatility surged. Data showed that Bitcoin led liquidations with $5.63 million within one hour. Ethereum followed with $2.05 million, while smaller tokens contributed marginal losses.
Source: Coinglass
Additionally, total liquidations reached $10.61 million in just one hour. Short positions dominated this figure, reflecting aggressive bearish bets. Over four hours, liquidations climbed to $94.24 million, signaling sustained pressure.
However, longer timeframes revealed a shift in sentiment. Over 24 hours, long positions exceeded short liquidations significantly. This shift suggested traders initially bet on recovery before markets reversed sharply.
Investor Sentiment Turns Fragile
Investor confidence weakened as uncertainty around oil supply and geopolitical risks increased. Consequently, traders moved toward safer assets while reducing leveraged positions. Data showed that over 184,000 traders faced liquidation within 24 hours.
Moreover, one large liquidation order reached $17.27 million, underscoring the scale of forced selling. These events highlighted the fragile nature of leveraged trading during volatile periods.
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