Samsung Asset Management: "KODEX 200 Becomes No. 1 ETF by Net Assets"

Samsung Asset Management announced on January 28 that the 'KODEX 200' ETF has surpassed 14.3937 trillion won in net assets, making it the number one ETF in the entire exchange-traded fund (ETF) market by net assets. This is the largest scale since the introduction of the domestic ETF market in 2002, and it is a symbolic achievement for a Korean benchmark index product amid the ongoing investment boom in the US stock market. The net assets of KODEX 200 have increased by 2.6969 trillion won so far this year, reflecting strong investor preference.

The rise to the number one spot in net assets is attributed to a significant influx of funds into KODEX 200, as investors sought to invest in high-quality large-cap stocks that are driving the index upward, following the KOSPI surpassing the psychological resistance level of 5,000 the previous day, demonstrating the strength of the domestic stock market.

This record for net assets is not just about the growth in ETF size; it also signifies that investor confidence in the domestic stock market has been restored. It can be interpreted as the establishment of a virtuous cycle in which the momentum of index growth is being reinvested into domestic companies through ETFs.

Investors' strategic choices also stood out. By type, investors seeking to maximize returns during index rallies chose KODEX Leverage, long-term investors aiming for compound interest by automatically reinvesting dividends selected KODEX 200TR, and those wanting stable investments that serve as a market benchmark opted for KODEX 200. The combined net assets of these three KOSPI 200 index-tracking ETFs soared from 10 trillion won at the end of 2024 to 23.8781 trillion won in just about 13 months, becoming a reliable pillar of the domestic stock market.

The performance of KODEX 200 is also evident in the numbers. In 2025 alone, it posted a record return of 94.5%, and its year-to-date return for 2026 has already increased by an additional 22.9%, maintaining a robust trajectory. Investors who held KODEX 200 since the beginning of 2025 would have seen their assets grow by approximately 2.4 times. Based on this performance, KODEX 200 has firmly established itself as a core asset in the portfolios of not only individual investors but also institutional investors such as pension funds.

KODEX 200 is also unrivaled in terms of operational efficiency. Since its launch as the first ETF in Korea in 2002, it has leveraged 24 years of accumulated expertise to minimize tracking error with the KOSPI 200 index. In particular, its liquidity is so abundant that its average daily trading volume reaches 1 trillion won, enabling investors seeking large-scale transactions to execute trades quickly while minimizing slippage (the difference between the order price and the actual execution price).

Jaeuk Jung, Head of ETF Management Team 3 at Samsung Asset Management, stated, "As we enter the KOSPI 5,000 era, it is highly symbolic that KODEX 200, which best reflects the growth potential of the Korean economy, has become the number one ETF by net assets. As the upward momentum of the domestic stock market continues, demand for ETFs that allow investors to participate in the market most efficiently will further expand."

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