Hanwha Asset Management announced plans to accelerate its "global fundraising" strategy, channeling overseas capital into Korean markets through an expanded exchange-traded fund lineup. The firm simultaneously unveiled ambitions to become a 100 trillion won asset manager by aggressively entering the domestic active ETF market.
Hanwha Asset held a press conference at the Korea Exchange conference hall in Yeouido on the 4th to commemorate PLUS ETF's net assets surpassing 10 trillion won and outline its ETF business strategy. According to the company, PLUS ETF net assets grew from 3.6 trillion won at the brand's July 2024 launch to approximately 11 trillion won currently—more than tripling in 19 months. The growth was driven by flagship thematic products including "PLUS High Dividend Stocks" and "PLUS K-Defense."
"ETFs have now become a universal indirect investment vehicle for the public," said Kim Jong-ho, CEO of Hanwha Asset Management. "PLUS ETF will provide competitive investment solutions not only domestically but in global markets, and serve as a pension partner for investors in an aging society."
The company particularly emphasized its "global fundraising" strategy to attract international investor capital into Korean assets through overseas-listed ETFs. Hanwha Asset listed "PLUS Korea Defense Industry (KDEF)" on the New York Stock Exchange in February last year, benchmarking its PLUS K-Defense product. Following $71 million in inflows last year, the fund expanded to $170 million within two months this year.
As a follow-up product to this strategy, "PLUS K-Manufacturing Core Companies Active" ETF is scheduled to list on March 24. The product will include major industry stocks spanning semiconductors (Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix), secondary batteries (Samsung SDI, LG Energy Solution, L&F), shipbuilding (HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean), and defense (Hanwha Aerospace, Hyundai Rotem), along with companies in robotics, space, energy, minerals, and biotechnology. A U.S. market listing using the same investment strategy is planned through collaboration with an ETC firm.
Hanwha Asset presented three growth pillars: securing top-tier return thematic products, expanding active strategies, and broadening pension product lineup. The firm announced comprehensive plans to expand its active ETF offerings.
"Once the 'fully active' market opens in the second half with relaxed correlation coefficient regulations, asset managers will compete earnestly in active ETFs," said Keum Jung-sup, Head of ETF Business Division. "We will defeat existing active powerhouses with our own methodology."
To this end, Hanwha Asset established an ETF Strategy Management Team and expanded its research-based organization to strengthen active ETF management capabilities. In addition to PLUS K-Manufacturing Core Companies Active, the firm plans to list two more products in March: "PLUS KOSDAQ 150 Active" and "PLUS Global Copyright Active."
"In three years, PLUS ETF will grow to 100 trillion won in net assets and become a TOP3 ETF manager in the industry," said Choi Young-jin, Vice President of Hanwha Asset Management. "Building on our success story of establishing K-Defense ETF in the United States, we will expand our territory beyond Korea to the U.S., Europe, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, and Hong Kong."