[KRX KOSDAQ Trading Volume 2600 Trillion] KOSDAQ Handling 2600 Trillion This Year

Record High Trading Volume
Double Last Year's Amount... Ant Army Accounts for 88% of Trades

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] This year, the trading volume in the KOSDAQ market exceeded 2,600 trillion won, setting a record high since its launch in 1996. With expectations from the Moon Jae-in administration's policies to revitalize the KOSDAQ market, the trading volume first surpassed 1,000 trillion won in 2018, and has since more than doubled in just two years. The sharp increase in individual investors amid the stock market crash caused by the COVID-19 pandemic this year is believed to have significantly boosted the trading volume in the KOSDAQ market. With the continued buying momentum from individuals, the KOSDAQ market's trading volume is expected to reach 2,700 trillion won by the end of this year.

On the 23rd, the KOSPI opened at 2,737.74, up 4.06 points (0.15%) from the previous trading day, as dealers were working in the Hana Bank dealing room in Jung-gu, Seoul. On the same day, the KOSDAQ started the session at 932.25, up 3.52 points (0.38%) from the previous trading day. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

According to the Korea Exchange on the 23rd, the KOSDAQ market's trading volume from January to November this year reached 2,358 trillion won, already more than double that of last year. This is the first time since the market's inception that the trading volume in the KOSDAQ market has exceeded 2,000 trillion won.

The KOSDAQ trading volume was only 1.16 trillion won as of December 27, 1997, when computerization began. Even when the KOSDAQ index surpassed 2,000 during the 'dot-com bubble,' the trading volume was not large, with 10.68 trillion won in 1999 and 57.85 trillion won in 2000. It had not exceeded 1,000 trillion won for 17 years thereafter.

The surge in trading volume in the KOSDAQ market began after the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in administration in 2017. Supported by policies to revitalize the KOSDAQ market, trading increased, surpassing 1,000 trillion won for two consecutive years with 1,201.86 trillion won in 2018 and 1,060.12 trillion won last year. This year, the figure already exceeded 2,000 trillion won by November, doubling the previous amount. Including the trading volume from December 1 to 22, which exceeds 230 trillion won, the total KOSDAQ trading volume this year reaches 2,601.34 trillion won. The average daily trading volume has also increased significantly, rising fivefold from 4.3 trillion won last year to 20 trillion won in September this year.

This rapid increase in trading volume is due to the unusually active participation of individuals in the stock market this year.

Individuals typically account for more than 80% of the KOSDAQ market. This year, from January to December 22, individual trading volume in the KOSDAQ market was 2,290 trillion won, representing 88.0% of the total trading volume. From January to December 22 this year, individuals net purchased 17.45 trillion won worth of stocks in the KOSDAQ market. In contrast, foreigners and institutions sold 980.6 billion won and 10.99 trillion won worth, respectively.

Notably, from March 19, when the index sharply dropped due to COVID-19, individuals purchased 14.46 trillion won worth of stocks. During this period, the index rose 127.47%, from an intraday low of 419.55 on March 19 to 954.34 on the 21st. Considering that foreigners and institutions consistently sold during this time, it is evaluated that the market was driven solely by individual investors.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.