Interactive Brokers Launches Access to Korean Equities, Breaking New Ground for Global Investors
Interactive Brokers Launches Access to Korean Equities, Breaking New Ground for Global Investors
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Key Terms
korea exchange (krx)technical
Korea Exchange (KRX) is South Korea’s central marketplace that operates the country’s stock, bond and derivatives trading systems, sets listing rules, and runs the infrastructure that matches buyers and sellers. Think of it as the country’s financial town square and traffic control: it determines where shares can be bought and sold, helps set transparent prices, and enforces market rules—factors that directly affect liquidity, risk and the ease of investing in Korean securities.
fxfinancial
fx stands for foreign exchange, the system of buying, selling and converting one currency into another. For investors, fx matters because changes in exchange rates can raise or lower a company’s reported sales, costs and profits when business crosses borders—like how the same amount of money can buy more or less abroad—so movements in fx can affect earnings, valuation and investment returns.
portfolio marginingfinancial
A broker service that lets an investor treat all their holdings together to calculate how much cash or borrowed money is needed to support their trades, taking offsets between positions into account. Like combining items in one shopping cart to get a better deal, it can lower the amount of capital required and increase buying power, but it also allows larger swings in gains and losses, so investors face higher risk exposure.
apitechnical
An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules that allows different software programs to communicate and work together smoothly, much like a waiter translating your order into the kitchen and then bringing your meal back. For investors, APIs are important because they enable real-time access to financial data, trading systems, and other digital services, making it easier to make informed decisions quickly and efficiently.
algorithmic tradingtechnical
Algorithmic trading is the use of computer programs to automatically decide, submit and manage buy or sell orders in financial markets according to predefined rules or mathematical models. Like a high-speed autopilot following a recipe for timing, price and size, it executes trades faster and more consistently than humans, which matters to investors because it can change how quickly orders fill, affect trading costs and influence short-term price movements and market stability.
GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Interactive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR), an automated global broker, today announced the launch of access to equities listed on the Korea Exchange (KRX), becoming the first major US-based broker to offer seamless trading in Korea's$1.8 trillion equity market.
Korea ranks fourth among Asia's equity markets and tenth globally by market capitalization, with over $10 billion in daily volume – liquidity comparable to many European exchanges. The market is home to category-leading semiconductor manufacturers, automotive innovators, and consumer technology companies with global footprints, including Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Hyundai Motor. As one of Asia’s most liquid markets, Korea represents a point of entry for international investors seeking exposure to the region’s technology leadership and industrial innovation.
For investors operating across multiple markets and time zones, Interactive Brokers' launch expands the ability to build truly global portfolios with the same integrated trading experience Interactive Brokers provides across all asset classes and regions.
Eligible clients worldwide can now access Korean equities with same-day account enablement, real-time execution, and transparent institutional-grade pricing. IBKR clients can trade Korean equities and derivatives alongside over 170 global markets spanning stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, funds and more from a single unified platform.
“Korea is one of Asia's most dynamic equity markets, and access to the KRX enables our clients to more comprehensively manage their Asian exposure," said David Friedland, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Interactive Brokers. "This launch is a natural extension of our mission to continually expand market access, ensuring our clients can seize investment opportunities wherever they exist. This market has long deserved a place in truly diversified portfolios, and Korean equities can now be traded with the same ease and efficiency as other markets on our platform.”
Access to Korean equities through Interactive Brokers includes more than 1,800 listed securities, multi-currency support with FX conversion commissions as low as 0.20 basis points or 0.0020% of the trade value, integrated portfolio margining across global holdings where applicable, and API access for algorithmic trading strategies.
Existing Interactive Brokers clients can begin trading Korean equities immediately by enabling KRX market data and trading permissions in Client Portal. New clients can open accounts online, with most approvals completed within one business day.
For additional information about access to Korean equities, visit:
Access to equities on the Korea Exchange through Interactive Brokers is not available to residents of Korea, clients of Interactive Brokers Securities Japan Inc., or clients of Interactive Brokers India Pvt. Ltd.
The best-informed investors choose Interactive Brokers
About Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.:
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBKR) is a member of the S&P 500. Its affiliates provide automated trade execution and custody of securities, commodities, foreign exchange, and forecast contracts around the clock on over 170 markets in numerous countries and currencies from a single unified platform to clients worldwide. We serve individual investors, hedge funds, proprietary trading groups, financial advisors and introducing brokers. Our four decades of focus on technology and automation have enabled us to equip our clients with a uniquely sophisticated platform to manage their investment portfolios. We strive to provide our clients with advantageous execution prices and trading, risk and portfolio management tools, research facilities and investment products, all at low or no cost, positioning them to achieve superior returns on investments. Interactive Brokers has consistently earned recognition as a top broker, garnering multiple awards and accolades from respected industry sources such as Barron's, Investopedia, Stockbrokers.com, and many others.
