"Parents Deposited 10 Million Won for Me"... Securities Accounts Surge 272% Amid Record-Breaking Bull Market

Shinhan Investment & Securities Analyzes Account Openings and Domestic and Overseas Investment Trends Among Minor and Parent Customers

Stock investments by minors are rapidly increasing. The number of accounts opened in the first quarter surged by 272% compared to a year ago. The most frequently traded stock among these accounts was Samsung Electronics common shares.

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Shinhan Investment Corp. announced on April 29 that an analysis of account openings and domestic and overseas stock trading data for minor and parent customers from January to March this year, conducted in celebration of Family Month in May, revealed these findings. The number of minor accounts opened in the first quarter rose by 272% year-on-year. Of these, 58.4% were opened non-face-to-face. This indicates a shift in the center of account openings from branch visits to mobile channels.

The average balance per minor account was found to be around 10 million won. A representative from Shinhan Investment Corp. explained, "This suggests that accounts in children's names are being utilized not just for simple investment experiences, but also as tools for medium- to long-term asset management and financial education."

Looking at domestic stock trading by minors, the most actively traded stock was Samsung Electronics common shares. Other top picks included TIGER US S&P500 ETF, Samsung Electronics preferred shares, SK hynix, and KODEX 200 ETF, with many large-cap blue chips and index-tracking ETFs ranking high on the list. A representative from Shinhan Investment Corp. commented, "Minor investors showed a tendency to focus on market-representative assets rather than picking individual stocks."

When it came to overseas stock trading, there was a noticeable difference in investment tendencies between minors and their parents. Among the top overseas stocks traded by minors were global giants such as Tesla, Apple, and Nvidia, alongside numerous US index ETFs such as Invesco QQQ Trust, SPDR S&P500 ETF, and Vanguard S&P500 ETF. In contrast, parent customers traded relatively more individual global big tech stocks such as Nvidia, Tesla, Apple, and Microsoft, highlighting that minor accounts are more diversified across indices.

By product category, minor accounts showed investment experience as follows: about 52% in domestic stocks, about 17% in overseas stocks, followed by other financial products. Especially in overseas investments, minors showed a relatively higher proportion of indirect investment through ETFs rather than direct stock investments, indicating that these accounts are serving as a starting point for learning about global diversification. Overall, minor accounts were characterized by low trading frequency but showed a long-term, education-oriented investment tendency, with a preference for holding large-cap stocks and ETFs over extended periods.

A representative from Shinhan Investment Corp. said, "In 2026, the proportion of non-face-to-face account openings for minors has grown even further, with mobile channels firmly established as the starting point of children's finances," adding, "We will continue to expand financial education content and global diversification investment services that both guardians and children can utilize together going forward."

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