South Korea's e-commerce market is expected to grow to 300 trillion won by 2026, but founders say competition is intensifying and platform fees, algorithm changes and settlement issues add pressure. Interest is rising in direct-to-consumer stores as a way to reduce platform risks, shorten settlement cycles and manage sales data. Industry sources also point to brand differentiation and overseas expansion opportunities tied to K-culture, supported by integrated payment and logistics infrastructure.

Crypto-focused outlet Altcoin Daily said much of the criticism surrounding XRP stems from a lack of understanding of the asset. It noted XRP has remained in the top five by market capitalisation for years and has highlighted real-world use cases in cross-border payments, despite remaining controversial. Altcoin Daily pointed to examples of critics later revising their views, including Solana Foundation product marketing head Vibhu Norby, veteran investor Raoul Pal and billionaire Mike Novogratz.