South Korea’s listed exchange-traded fund market is expanding rapidly, intensifying market-share competition among asset managers. Total net assets stood at 465.98 trillion won as of May 12, with 1,108 ETFs listed. Samsung Asset Management led with 39.64 percent, followed by Mirae Asset with 31.69 percent. Mid-tier firms are focusing on active and theme-based ETFs. Regulators are also reviewing some ETF advertisements for potential internal-control lapses.

Korean financial companies see digital assets as next-generation financial infrastructure but say regulatory overhaul is urgent for full-scale entry. At CIS2026 in Seoul, institutional investors cited regulatory gaps and shortcomings in custody, compliance and risk management as barriers. Executives said clearer rules are needed on eligible assets, market standards and responsibility in case of incidents. Panelists also pointed to tokenised securities, real-world assets and the spread of dollar-based stablecoins as key issues.