Securities assets electronically registered and managed by the Korea Securities Depository (KSD) have surpassed 10 quadrillion won. The volume of electronically registered assets has more than doubled in less than seven years since the electronic securities system took effect in 2019.
KSD said Tuesday that electronically registered assets stood at 11,065 trillion won as of the end of April this year. The figure, which was 4,780 trillion won at the end of September 2019 shortly after the Electronic Securities Act took effect, grew to 6,110 trillion won at the end of 2021, 6,346 trillion won at the end of 2023 and 8,589 trillion won at the end of 2025, before crossing the 10 quadrillion won mark at the end of April.
By asset type, stocks accounted for the largest share. As of the end of April, electronically registered listed stocks totaled 6,599 trillion won, while unlisted stocks stood at 23 trillion won. Bonds totaled 2,854 trillion won, including 2,665 trillion won in listed bonds and 189 trillion won in unlisted bonds. Collective investment securities reached 1,288 trillion won, derivative-linked securities 168 trillion won, and short-term financial investment products 133 trillion won.
Electronically registered assets cover most securities under the Capital Markets Act. KSD said the figure serves as an aggregate indicator of the quantitative growth and size of Korea's capital market, as well as a milestone reflecting market maturity and investor confidence.
The expansion is attributed to government policies aimed at realizing the "Korea Premium," including amendments to the Commercial Act, and a rise in the market value of listed securities driven by the semiconductor super cycle. Improvements in the stability and efficiency of the electronic securities system, along with efforts to encourage participation by unlisted companies, also contributed. The inclusion of new types of securities as eligible for electronic registration is cited as another growth factor.
With the dawn of the 10 quadrillion won era in electronically registered assets, KSD plans to focus on supporting both qualitative and quantitative growth of the market and enhancing the stability and efficiency of the securities distribution system as a capital market infrastructure institution.
"Surpassing 10 quadrillion won in electronically registered assets is one of the historic moments proving the re-rating of Korea's capital market," KSD President Lee Yoon-soo said. "KSD is not merely a place that custodies and manages securities, but a key player supporting government policies on the front line to realize the Korea Premium, and we will continue to faithfully fulfill that role."
