Bitcoin falls to $80.1K amid KOSPI's lowest close since April

Bitcoin (BTC) reached a local low of $80,154 on Thursday, tracking losses in South Korean stock markets, where the KOSPI closed at 5,554 points, its lowest since April 8. The KOSPI fell 7.5%, driven by tech stock routs, with SK Hynix down 11% and Samsung Electronics down 9.5%. Market weakness in South Korea was attributed to concerns over AI debt obligations, foreign capital outflows, and Chinese competition. This downturn was compounded by Wednesday's higher-than-expected US CPI of 3.7% year-on-year, sparking hawkish Fed expectations. Mirae Asset Securities analyst Kim Seok-hwan warned that volatility is expected to persist in the near term.