Interactive Brokers & Samsung Securities Partnership Fuels Surging Global Demand for Korean Stocks via Omnibus Accounts
Global investors have actively traded over 6 trillion won ($3.9 billion) using Korea’s innovative new omnibus account system, underscoring significant international demand for streamlined access to the dynamic Korean stock market.
Leading this new wave of foreign investment is Interactive Brokers, a premier global electronic brokerage. In May, Interactive Brokers pioneered Korea’s first omnibus account service for international investors, a landmark achievement made possible through its strategic partnership with Samsung Securities.
“There has been strong demand from Interactive Brokers clients globally for access to the Korean market for some time,” said David Friedland, managing director and head of Asia-Pacific at Interactive Brokers.
The innovative omnibus account framework significantly simplifies foreign investment in Korean stocks. It enables international brokerages to efficiently execute trades for multiple clients via a single, consolidated account structure, effectively removing long-standing administrative complexities and streamlining access for global capital.
“Demand exceeded our expectations from Day 1,” Friedland said. “We’ve seen strong participation from both institutional and retail investors globally, and volumes have continued to build.”
Friedland specifically acknowledged Samsung Securities’ pivotal role in successfully bringing this essential service to the Korean market.
“Samsung Securities was instrumental in advancing the regulatory pathway for omnibus accounts,” he said. “Their participation in the sandbox program and willingness to be first to market played an important role in our decision.”
This collaborative partnership has been instrumental in delivering a low-cost, seamless, and highly efficient trading experience for global investors seeking exposure to Korean equities.
One challenge that remains, according to Friedland, is currency conversion.
“Interactive Brokers focuses on providing real-time foreign exchange conversion with tight spreads,” he said. “Combined with our competitive commissions, we believe this gives foreign investors an efficient and cost-effective way to access the Korean market.”
Interactive Brokers anticipates even broader participation as Korean regulators plan to expand the scope of omnibus accounts to encompass popular investment vehicles like exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded notes (ETNs), further diversifying investment opportunities.
“We expect institutions, asset managers, advisers and sophisticated retail investors to have strong interest in gaining exposure to Korean markets through ETFs,” Friedland said.
Friedland emphasized that Korea continues to attract global investors because of its impressive market scale, robust liquidity, and industrial competitiveness.
“Korea’s equity market ranks among the world’s largest and most liquid,” he said. “It offers investors exposure to technology leadership, industrial innovation and several high-growth sectors.”
He highlighted key Korean industries drawing increasing attention from overseas investors, including semiconductors, batteries, biopharma, and advanced manufacturing.
“These sectors are becoming increasingly important for global investors seeking exposure to long-term structural growth trends,” he said.
Beyond the successful omnibus account initiative, Interactive Brokers has significantly expanded its footprint in Korea. The firm made a strategic investment of 15 billion won in Next Securities, marking it as the first overseas-listed brokerage to invest strategically in a Korean counterpart. David Friedland currently holds a position as a nonexecutive director at Next Securities, further solidifying their local engagement.
Looking ahead, Friedland said Korea is becoming an increasingly important part of the firm’s broader Asia-Pacific strategy.
“Our goal is to make Korean markets more accessible to global investors,” he said. “We believe there is significant room for participation to grow, and we see substantial opportunities to deepen cooperation with Korean market participants in the years ahead.”
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