Kimchi Premium
Candlefocus EditorThe ramifications of the kimchi premium are two-fold. Firstly, it has presented an opportunity to some savvy investors, who can take advantage of the price difference by buying cryptocurrency abroad and selling it on South Korean markets. In doing so, they can generate large profits due to the kimchi premium. Along with traders, South Korean cryptocurrency exchange operators have also benefitted from the kimchi premium, as their trading platforms become more profitable.
On the other hand, the kimchi premium has also generated problems for South Korean investors. In effect, it can be seen as a hindrance to local investors, preventing them from taking advantage of the kimchi premium and instead being forced to pay higher prices due to the price difference. What's more, the price gap has increased significantly, in some cases as much as 30%, according to research by Stanford University.
The exact reason for the wide kimchi premium gap has yet to be fully revealed. However, one hypothesis for the price difference is due to the lack of high-return investment options available in South Korea. South Korea has strict capital controls and financial regulations, meaning that local investors have limited options in which to make large returns on their investments. This has pushed more investors towards cryptocurrencies and made the market more volatile.
Naturally, this has had a knock-on effect on the price of cryptocurrencies in South Korea. The lack of investors taking advantage of the kimchi premium in South Korea has caused the price to rocket up and the kimchi premium to become wider.
Reversing the situation would be difficult, as the strict regulations currently in place would not allow many high-return investments. South Korean investors are, however, still able to take advantage of the kimchi premium by investing in cryptocurrencies abroad. This will, in turn, help close the kimchi premium gap which has generated so much debate.