South Korean Bitcoin Premium Rate Returns to Over 2%

The South Korean Bitcoin premium rate has returned to over 2%. According to data from Cryptoquant, Bitcoin in South Korea was briefly below the global average price on April 9, but has since returned to premium trading over the past ten days, reaching a peak premium of 2.97% on April 15. As of 7 PM on April 19, the global average price of Bitcoin was $85,246, while the Bitcoin prices on South Korea's major exchanges, Upbit and Bithumb, were higher than the global average by 1.65% and 1.73%, respectively. Historically, this usually signals sustained capital inflows and broader market rallies. Meanwhile, Cryptoquant's Coinbase Premium Index currently shows a discount, indicating relatively weak demand from US traders. Since the US dollar and South Korean won are major fiat currency channels for Bitcoin, their contrasting price signals have a significant impact on global price discovery. When divergences occur between these two hubs, the tension between discount and premium shapes the overall trend of Bitcoin rather than directly offsetting bullish or bearish signals.