# Kimchi Premium Tracker — Korea vs Global Crypto Arbitrage (`gochujang/kimchi-premium-tracker`) Actor

Real-time Korea vs global crypto price gap (Upbit/Bithumb vs Binance/Coinbase) for BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL + 50 alts. KRW/USD FX-adjusted. Telegram alerts on premium thresholds. Free public APIs. PPE $0.003/token.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/gochujang/kimchi-premium-tracker.md
- **Developed by:** [Hojun Lee](https://apify.com/gochujang) (community)
- **Categories:** Business
- **Stats:** 11 total users, 0 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 1 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $3.00 / 1,000 token trackeds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

### What does Kimchi Premium Tracker do?

The **kimchi premium tracker** monitors real-time price differences between South Korean crypto exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb) and the global benchmark (Binance) for 170+ KRW-listed tokens. It automatically calculates the **Korea Bitcoin premium** — the percentage by which each coin trades higher or lower in Korean markets versus international prices — and delivers a complete ranked snapshot in one run. No API key, no registration required.

The **Korean crypto arbitrage** spread is one of the most-watched signals in Asia-Pacific crypto markets. This Actor makes it instantly queryable via Apify's dataset API or your own scheduled pipeline.

### Why use Kimchi Premium Tracker?

**1. Arbitrage signal detection**
When `upbit_premium_pct` spikes above a threshold, it may signal a cross-exchange opportunity before it closes. Run on a 15-minute schedule and pipe results into your alert system for real-time **Korean crypto arbitrage** monitoring.

**2. Korean retail sentiment gauge**
The average Kimchi Premium across all tokens is a well-established leading indicator of South Korean retail FOMO. Rising premium = retail buying pressure; negative premium = local selling or fear. Use it as a market sentiment layer alongside your existing indicators.

**3. Token-specific demand research**
Some tokens show persistent Korean premiums (strong local demand); others show reverse premiums (local distribution). Filter with `premiumThreshold` and `sortBy` to isolate tokens with unusual demand patterns before they move on global exchanges.

**4. Quantitative backtesting**
Download the dataset via the Apify API after each scheduled run and feed historical **Korea Bitcoin premium** snapshots into your backtesting engine to evaluate premium-based trading signals.

**5. Alert integration**
Pipe the structured JSON output into Telegram, Slack, or any webhook to receive instant notifications when premium crosses your defined threshold — all without building your own scraper.

### How to use Kimchi Premium Tracker

1. Open the Actor on Apify Store and click **Try for free** — default settings return the full 170+ token list instantly.
2. (Optional) Set `premiumThreshold` to filter only tokens above a minimum premium percentage.
3. Choose your sort order: `premium_desc` (highest premium first), `premium_asc`, or `symbol_asc`.
4. Click **Start**. The Actor fetches live prices from Upbit, Bithumb, and Binance, computes premiums, and saves results to the dataset.
5. Schedule recurring runs (e.g., every 15 minutes) via Apify Scheduler for continuous **kimchi premium tracker** monitoring.

### Input

| Field | Type | Default | Description |
|-------|------|---------|-------------|
| `autoDetectAll` | boolean | `true` | Automatically track all KRW-listed coins on Upbit |
| `symbols` | string\[] | `[]` | Specific token symbols (used when `autoDetectAll` is `false`) |
| `includeUpbit` | boolean | `true` | Include Upbit exchange data |
| `includeBithumb` | boolean | `true` | Include Bithumb exchange data |
| `premiumThreshold` | number | `0` | Minimum absolute premium % to include in results |
| `sortBy` | string | `premium_desc` | Sort order: `premium_desc`, `premium_asc`, or `symbol_asc` |

**Minimal input** (track all tokens, no filters):

```json
{}
```

**Signal-focused input** (only tokens with 2%+ premium):

```json
{
  "premiumThreshold": 2.0,
  "sortBy": "premium_desc"
}
```

### Output

One dataset row per token:

```json
{
  "symbol": "BERA",
  "binance_usdt": 0.404,
  "binance_krw_equivalent": 610,
  "upbit_krw": 687.0,
  "upbit_premium_pct": 12.61,
  "upbit_is_reverse": false,
  "bithumb_krw": 616.0,
  "bithumb_premium_pct": 0.98,
  "bithumb_is_reverse": false,
  "upbit_bithumb_spread_pct": 11.53,
  "usd_krw_rate": 1510.03,
  "timestamp": "2026-04-05T05:53:50Z"
}
```

A `SUMMARY` record in the Key-Value Store aggregates the full run:

```json
{
  "total_tokens": 177,
  "avg_upbit_premium_pct": 0.43,
  "tokens_with_premium": 112,
  "tokens_with_reverse": 24,
  "top_5_upbit": ["BERA", "STX", "STRAX", "BREV", "BONK"],
  "usd_krw_rate": 1510.03,
  "timestamp": "2026-04-05T05:53:50Z"
}
```

### Data fields

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `upbit_premium_pct` | % premium on Upbit vs Binance (positive = Korean price is higher) |
| `bithumb_premium_pct` | % premium on Bithumb vs Binance |
| `upbit_is_reverse` | `true` if Korean price is *below* global (rare, high signal) |
| `upbit_bithumb_spread_pct` | Internal Korean exchange spread between Upbit and Bithumb |
| `binance_krw_equivalent` | Binance USD price converted to KRW at live exchange rate |
| `usd_krw_rate` | USD/KRW rate used for conversion (fetched live) |

### Cost estimation

This Actor uses **Pay-Per-Event (PPE)** pricing:

| Scenario | Tokens tracked | Estimated Cost |
|----------|---------------|----------------|
| Full auto-detect run (~177 tokens) | 177 | ~$0.53 |
| Specific 10-token watchlist | 10 | ~$0.03 |
| 15-min schedule (full, monthly) | 177 × 2,976 runs | ~$1,577 |
| Hourly schedule (full, monthly) | 177 × 744 runs | ~$394 |

Rate: **$0.003 per token tracked**.

### FAQ

**Q: Does this require any API key?**
No. All data sources (Upbit, Bithumb, Binance, and the USD/KRW rate feed) are public. No registration is needed.

**Q: Why are some tokens excluded from results?**
Tokens with a premium above ±15% are automatically excluded — these typically indicate symbol mismatches (different assets sharing the same ticker). Bithumb maintenance window (KST 01:00–08:00) will also result in missing Bithumb rows during that period.

**Q: Can I track only specific tokens instead of all 170+?**
Yes. Set `autoDetectAll: false` and provide an explicit list in the `symbols` field. This reduces cost and run time proportionally.

***

**Disclaimer:** Unofficial. Not affiliated with Upbit, Bithumb, or Binance. For informational purposes only. Not financial advice. **Korean crypto arbitrage** opportunities involve significant regulatory, execution, and currency risk.

**Keywords:** kimchi premium tracker, Korea Bitcoin premium, Korean crypto arbitrage, Upbit premium, Bithumb premium, KRW crypto price gap, BTC Korea price, crypto arbitrage signal, Korean exchange sentiment

***

### Related actors

- [Korea Exchange Pulse](https://apify.com/gochujang/korea-exchange-pulse) — KOSPI, KOSDAQ, and full KRW market data for broader Korean financial context
- [KOSIS Korea Macro Indicators](https://apify.com/gochujang/kosis-macro-indicators) — Korean CPI and GDP to see how macro conditions relate to kimchi premium levels
- [Currency Exchange Tracker](https://apify.com/gochujang/currency-exchange-tracker) — KRW/USD rate to compute USD-equivalent arbitrage profit from kimchi premium

### Feedback

If this actor helps your Korean arbitrage research, a review helps others find it: [Leave a review on Apify Store](https://apify.com/gochujang/kimchi-premium-tracker#reviews)

# Actor input Schema

## `autoDetectAll` (type: `boolean`):

Automatically detect and track all KRW-listed coins on Upbit (~240 tokens). Overrides the symbols list below.

## `symbols` (type: `array`):

Specific token symbols to track (e.g., BTC, ETH, XRP). Only used when 'Track All Coins' is off.

## `includeUpbit` (type: `boolean`):

Include Upbit exchange in comparison.

## `includeBithumb` (type: `boolean`):

Include Bithumb exchange in comparison.

## `includeCoinone` (type: `boolean`):

Include Coinone exchange in comparison.

## `includeKorbit` (type: `boolean`):

Include Korbit exchange in comparison.

## `totalFeePct` (type: `number`):

Assumed round-trip fees: KR exchange maker/taker + Binance maker/taker + KRW deposit/withdraw + USDT bridge. Default 0.6 is sensible for retail. Pros can lower via rebates. Used to compute \*\_net\_arb\_profit\_pct.

## `premiumThreshold` (type: `number`):

Only include tokens with absolute premium above this threshold. Set to 0 to include all.

## `sortBy` (type: `string`):

Sort results by premium percentage.

## `alertThreshold` (type: `number`):

Send Telegram alert when any token's premium exceeds this %. Set 0 to disable. Requires telegramBotToken and telegramChatId.

## `telegramBotToken` (type: `string`):

Telegram bot token for premium alerts (from BotFather). Leave empty to disable alerts.

## `telegramChatId` (type: `string`):

Telegram chat ID to receive premium alerts (your user ID or group ID).

## `deltaAlertPct` (type: `number`):

Send Telegram alert when the Upbit average premium shifts by this many percentage points vs the previous run. 0 = disabled. Example: 1.0 alerts when kimchi premium moves ±1% vs last snapshot.

## `includeTrend` (type: `boolean`):

When enabled, fetches 7 days of daily BTC premium history from Upbit + Binance candles and adds trend, premium\_7d\_avg, premium\_7d\_high, premium\_7d\_low to the SUMMARY.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "autoDetectAll": true,
  "symbols": [
    "BTC",
    "ETH",
    "XRP",
    "SOL",
    "DOGE"
  ],
  "includeUpbit": true,
  "includeBithumb": true,
  "includeCoinone": true,
  "includeKorbit": true,
  "totalFeePct": 0.6,
  "premiumThreshold": 0,
  "sortBy": "premium_desc",
  "alertThreshold": 3,
  "telegramChatId": "",
  "deltaAlertPct": 0,
  "includeTrend": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

## `summary` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "symbols": [
        "BTC",
        "ETH",
        "XRP",
        "SOL",
        "DOGE"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("gochujang/kimchi-premium-tracker").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "symbols": [
        "BTC",
        "ETH",
        "XRP",
        "SOL",
        "DOGE",
    ] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("gochujang/kimchi-premium-tracker").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "symbols": [
    "BTC",
    "ETH",
    "XRP",
    "SOL",
    "DOGE"
  ]
}' |
apify call gochujang/kimchi-premium-tracker --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,gochujang/kimchi-premium-tracker"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/jmKTs7JgLcy07iWxQ/builds/BGKSypbDN70zcC36L/openapi.json