[Edaily Marketin Reporter KIM YEON-SEO ] Amid increased volatility in the domestic stock market, driven primarily by major semiconductor stocks, an unconventional investment product focused on coffee beans is drawing attention. This comes as the price of a product based on Brazilian green coffee beans has risen by more than 20% in just one month.

According to the Busan Digital Asset Exchange (BDAN) on the 21st, the price of “e-Coffee”—a product based on “Brazil Sehado coffee beans”—rose by 2,530 won (20.4%) from 12,410 won on the 22nd of last month to 14,940 won on that day.

On the 9th of this month, the price even climbed to 17,130 won, marking a 34.9% increase compared to its launch price of 12,700 won. This trend stands in contrast to the sharp decline in stock prices of major semiconductor companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

Trading activity has also been steady. The cumulative trading volume over the approximately one month since its launch totaled 33,976 kg. The average daily trading volume is approximately 1,096 kg, and the cumulative trading value is estimated at approximately 500 million won.

e-Coffee is a digital commodity certificate issued by McNulty International, a subsidiary of KOSDAQ-listed Korea McNulty. Since green coffee beans can be traded in 0.1-kg increments, investors can participate in price fluctuations starting from about 1,500 won. This means that trading has expanded beyond stocks and bonds to include everyday items like coffee.

The underlying asset is “Brazil Sehado NY2 17/18 Natural” green coffee beans. Sehado is one of Brazil’s leading coffee-producing regions. “NY2” refers to a top-quality grade with a low percentage of defective beans, while “17/18” denotes the size specification for relatively large green coffee beans. “Natural” refers to a traditional processing method in which harvested coffee cherries are dried while still attached to their pulp.

The recent surge in coffee prices is driven by abnormal weather conditions in major producing regions and concerns over supply shortages. International coffee bean prices react sensitively whenever production forecasts are disrupted by droughts or heavy rains. As a result, coffee is gaining attention not only as a beverage but also as a tangible asset in which investors can capitalize on price fluctuations.

Bidan offers small-scale trading of “e-Coffee” and a gifting feature between members. The company is also preparing a physical withdrawal service that allows investors to exchange their holdings for actual green coffee beans once they reach a certain quantity. A Bidan official stated, “We’ve had actual withdrawal cases for ‘e-Gold,’” adding, “We’re preparing a related app service so that users can also receive physical green coffee beans for their ‘e-Coffee’ holdings.”

However, coffee bean prices can fluctuate significantly depending on factors such as climate, exchange rates, and global supply and demand. If trading volume for the commodity itself is insufficient, it may be difficult to sell at the desired time, or price volatility could increase.

As interest in the digitization of real-world assets (RWAs) grows both domestically and internationally, the range of tradable assets is expanding from real estate, art, and music to physical commodities such as gold and coffee. Structures that allow real-world assets to be divided into small units for trading and exchanged for the actual assets when needed are also expected to emerge one after another.

An industry official stated, “Digitizing physical assets allows even those that were previously difficult to access to be traded in small units,” adding, “While the ability to redeem physical assets may attract investor interest, it is necessary to carefully examine each product’s pricing methodology, trading volume, and liquidity.”