South Korean ISA holders surpass 10 million mark

The number of Individual Savings Account (ISA) holders in South Korea has surpassed 10 million, representing approximately 23% of the adult population aged 19 and older. As of late August, total deposits in these accounts reached 76.5 trillion won.

There is a significant shift in how these accounts are used, moving away from bank-led savings and deposits toward direct investment through securities firms. Investment-brokerage type accounts now account for 89.3% of all ISAs, with 9 million holders opting for this method to trade stocks and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). In contrast, bank-based ISA holders have decreased by over 730,000 since the end of 2020.

Demographic trends show increasing participation from younger investors, with those in their 20s and 30s making up 41.1% of all account holders. Within the brokerage-style accounts, ETFs represent 50.8% of managed assets, followed by domestic stocks at 36.1%.