What is Korbit?
Korbit is a licensed crypto exchange based in South Korea, founded in 2013. It offers KRW spot trading, staking, and NFT markets under tight local regulation - mainly serving Korean residents who need fiat-compliant platforms.
Quick snapshot table
- Founded: 2013 in Seoul
- Regulation: Licensed by Korean FSC, under FIU oversight
- Assets: ~40 coins paired with KRW
- Daily volume: ~$10-12M
- Fees: Flat 0.15% maker/taker
- Staking: ~5-7% on select assets
- NFTs: Marketplace with Korean artist focus
- Trust scores: CoinGecko 9/10, TU 8.7/10
Why it stands out in Korea
Korbit’s strength is strict local compliance. It meets all Korean FSC and FIU requirements, integrates government ID checks, and runs tax-friendly transaction logs. For residents needing KRW deposit and withdrawal rails, this makes it the most seamless option.
Trading, staking and liquidity
Fees are a flat 0.15% across the board. KRW deposits and withdrawals are free for local bank users. Crypto withdrawals cost standard network rates. Daily volume averages around $11M, mostly in BTC-KRW and ETH-KRW. Lower-cap pairs can thin out quickly. For passive earners, staking returns around 5-7% paid in KRW, simplifying local tax compliance.
Security and trust ratings
Korbit uses standard cold wallets, multi-sig, strong local anti-phishing protocols, plus internal audits. It hasn’t faced major breaches. Ratings stay high - CoinGecko lists trust at 9/10, and Traders Union puts overall risk low with an 8.7. The only recurring downside is regulatory delistings of coins flagged by Korean authorities.
Pros and cons summary
- Pros: Fully licensed, direct KRW banking, transparent fees, moderate staking, local NFT ecosystem.
- Cons: Korea-only access, small asset pool, no leverage or global stable pairs, moderate volume.
Final verdict
Korbit is ideal for Korean residents wanting clean KRW-to-crypto routes, tight local compliance and simple tax reporting. It’s stable, trusted and does exactly what most retail traders in Korea need. If you’re outside Korea or want global assets and leverage, it’s not for you - but inside Korea, it’s arguably the safest major exchange option.