South Korean IMA market growth

The Investment Management Account (IMA) market in South Korea is experiencing rapid growth. Initially, Korea Investment & Securities launched its ‘Korea Investment IMA S6’ product, a performance-based account with a 200 billion won funding limit that guarantees principal at maturity.

Within six months of launch, the cumulative funds raised by three major securities firms approached 4 trillion won. These accounts allow firms with equity exceeding 8 trillion won to invest client funds into corporate finance assets such as bonds and loans. The products have gained popularity as stable alternatives to the stock market due to the principal guarantees provided by the firms.

Market activity has intensified, with NH Investment & Securities reporting that its third IMA product sold out in a single day, reaching a 120 billion won target. High-net-worth individuals have shown significant interest, with 68% of those sales coming from clients with assets exceeding 1 billion won. Korea Investment & Securities maintains its position as the market leader, with IMA settings reaching 2.94 trillion won by the end of the second quarter, while Mirae Asset Securities has also expanded its offerings by raising benchmark return rates.