Samsung Asset Management said Tuesday that its KODEX AI Semiconductor TOP2 Plus exchange-traded fund (ETF) has surpassed 4 trillion won in net assets, driven by sustained large-scale capital inflows.
According to the Korea Exchange, the ETF's net assets stood at 4.1914 trillion won as of the previous trading day. Its year-to-date return reached 201.6%.
The product changed its name and index calculation methodology last month. Investor capital has flowed in rapidly since then, with retail net purchases reaching 394 billion won over the 13 trading days following the renewal. Cumulative retail net purchases since the start of the year totaled 624.8 billion won.
On Nov. 29, the ETF drew 89.9 billion won in retail inflows in a single day, ranking second in retail net purchases across the entire ETF market excluding leveraged products. Institutional inflows have also continued. Net purchases by the banking sector reached 201.4 billion won following the renewal, including 116.5 billion won in a single day on Nov. 28.
The shift in index methodology is cited as the key factor behind heightened investor interest. The fund raised the weightings of Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) and SK hynix (000660.KQ) from 20% each to 25% each, lifting the combined weighting of Korea's two flagship semiconductor stocks to 50%. The structure was designed to directly reflect the benefits of an improving semiconductor cycle in the portfolio.
The eligibility criteria for portfolio constituents have also been tightened. The minimum market capitalization threshold was raised from 600 billion won to 1 trillion won, restructuring the portfolio around large-cap stocks with strong market dominance. Samsung Electro-Mechanics, newly added during the renewal, has continued its share price rally and contributed to the ETF's improved returns, according to the company.
"Through the index overhaul, we have improved the product to lower volatility while more intuitively reflecting the core beneficiaries of the semiconductor cycle," said Lee Dae-hwan, a manager at Samsung Asset Management. "With a single ETF, investors can concentrate exposure to Samsung Electronics and SK hynix while also efficiently investing in major materials, parts, and equipment companies that represent Korea's AI semiconductor ecosystem, such as Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Isu Petasys."
