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Won Rises as Trump Signals Swift End to Iran War, Crypto Market Dips

The South Korean won strengthened against the US dollar, continuing its recovery from a 17-year low, as US President Donald Trump signaled negotiations to end the Middle East conflict. Tehran, however, denied being in contact with the United States, calling such claims an attempt to manipulate markets. The conflict has disrupted global oil supplies by effectively shutting the Strait of Hormuz, causing prices to rise markedly. Meanwhile, data showed South Korea's virtual asset market capitalization fell nearly 8% in the second half of last year, driven by falling cryptocurrency prices.

Key Points: South Korean Won Gains vs Dollar Amid Iran War Talks

  • Won gains against US dollar
  • Trump signals swift end to Iran conflict
  • Tehran denies contact with US
  • Global oil prices rise
  • Virtual asset market dips 8%
2 min read

S. Korean currency gains against US dollar amid talks to end Iran war

The South Korean won strengthens against the US dollar as Trump signals potential end to Iran conflict, while Korea's virtual asset market declines.

"negotiations were under way to end the conflict - Yonhap news agency report"

Seoul, March 25

The South Korean won rose further against the US dollar on Wednesday as US President Donald Trump continued to signal the possibility of a swift end to the ongoing Middle East conflict.

The won opened at 1,493 per dollar, up 2.2 won from the previous session, reports Yonhap news agency.

The currency had surged to 1,495.2 won per dollar Tuesday, recovering from a 17-year low of 1,517.3 won in the previous session after Trump said that he had ordered a five-day postponement of threatened strikes on Iranian energy facilities and that negotiations were under way to end the conflict.

Tehran, however, has denied claims that it has been in contact with the United States, calling them an attempt to manipulate energy prices and stock markets, according to foreign media reports.

Domestic and global foreign exchange and stock markets have experienced heightened volatility as U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that began late last month have escalated into a broader regional conflict.

Global oil prices have risen markedly as the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively shut since the start of the conflict, disrupting global oil supplies.

Meanwhile, the value of South Korea's virtual asset market dipped 8 percent in the second half of last year from six months earlier, largely on falling prices of key cryptocurrencies, data showed on Wednesday.

The market capitalisation of the virtual asset market came to 87.2 trillion won (US$58.4 billion) as of end-December, down 7.9 trillion won from six months ago, according to the data from the Financial Services Commission (FSC).

The total value of Korean won deposits made by traders rose 1.9 trillion won, or 31 percent, to 8.1 trillion won during the July-December period, while the operating profit of market operators dipped 38 percent to 381 billion won over the cited period.

There were 27 virtual asset market operators in South Korea as of end-2025, including 18 crypto exchanges, according to the financial regulator.

During the July-December period, the average value of daily crypto transactions reached 5.4 trillion won, down 15 percent from the daily average of 6.4 trillion won in the first half of 2025, according to the FSC.

The number of market users gained 3 percent to some 11.13 million over the cited period.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The real story is the oil prices! If the Strait of Hormuz is shut, our petrol and diesel prices will shoot up again. Government should have a contingency plan for this. Hope the talks succeed for everyone's sake. 🙏
R
Rohit P
The crypto market dip in Korea is notable. Many young investors here also got burned in the last crypto crash. It's a reminder that virtual assets are highly speculative, especially during geopolitical tensions. Stick to traditional investments, folks.
S
Sarah B
Tehran denying the talks is concerning. It creates more uncertainty. Markets hate uncertainty more than bad news. This volatility will continue until there's a clear diplomatic path forward. A swift end would be best for global stability.
V
Vikram M
While the focus is on Korea, we should note that India imports a massive amount of oil from the Middle East. Our trade deficit and current account will be under pressure if this drags on. The RBI and Finance Ministry must be watching closely.
K
Karthik V
The article jumps from forex to crypto quite abruptly. However, the connection is global risk sentiment. When traditional markets are volatile due to war, crypto often falls too, as seen here. Not a safe haven, after all.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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