한국 증시의 ‘글로벌 영토 확장’… 미래에셋이 쏘아 올린 외국인 투자 편의성 혁신 > K-wave Trends

It is a very strategic choice for Mirae Asset Securities to join hands with UOB Kay Hian, a leading securities firm in Singapore, to launch the ‘Foreigner Omnibus Account’ service. A foreign integrated account is a system that allows foreign investors to easily buy and sell Korean stocks through their home country's securities firms without having to open an account directly in Korea. Previously, the investor registration process was complicated and physical distance restrictions were large, which was a major obstacle to the inflow of overseas funds. However, through this partnership, investors across Southeast Asia, including Singapore, will be able to access the Korean market with the same experience as using their own securities firms. This is expected to be a key catalyst in dramatically improving accessibility to the Korean stock market and lowering the threshold for global investors.

UOB Keihian, which was selected as a partner, is not just a local securities firm, but a financial giant with assets worth 4 trillion won listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange. With over 100 years of experience, they have a firm grip on the brokerage and asset management fields in Southeast Asia. In particular, the fact that it is building a dense network throughout the Greater China region and ASEAN region with Singapore as its hub fits perfectly with Mirae Asset Securities' global strategy. The fact that Mirae Asset Securities' Singapore subsidiary led this discussion proves that overseas bases are acting as core engines for pioneering the local market beyond simply acting as branches. This strong partnership is evaluated as a strategic trick that ensures service stability and scalability at the same time.

Mirae Asset Securities' latest move is not limited to a single project, but is interpreted as part of a broader move to strengthen global infrastructure. Currently, in addition to this Singapore case, the company is pursuing additional integrated account service collaboration with a number of overseas financial companies. Additionally, we are planning to launch the Hong Kong Mobile Trading System (MTS) within this month, and are also actively pursuing the acquisition of a local securities firm in the United States. This is a huge platform strategy that goes beyond simply selling Korean stocks overseas and seeks to attract investors from around the world into Mirae Asset's digital infrastructure. This part shows the company's determination to build a 'global financial ecosystem' that will allow Korean stocks to be conveniently traded anywhere by tightly knitting together a global network.

Meanwhile, the securities industry expects that this improvement in accessibility for foreigners, combined with the recent movement to reevaluate the valuation of companies such as Samsung C&T, will create greater synergy. Hana Securities pointed out that Samsung C&T's PBR is significantly lower than that of other holding companies and analyzed that the stock price has ample room to rise considering the expansion of semiconductor investment and the momentum of nuclear power plant orders. If the integrated foreign account is introduced at a time when the intrinsic value of domestic companies is being reexamined, the inflow of funds from overseas investors will become much smoother. Domestic blue-chip stocks, which were undervalued in the past due to information asymmetry and accessibility issues, are more easily exposed to foreign investors, which is expected to have a positive impact on improving supply and demand across the Korean stock market and normalizing stock prices.

Of course, within the financial sector, the fierce ‘money move’ war between securities companies and banks is also accelerating. The banking sector is risking its life and death to improve returns by holding ETF subscription events to prevent funds from leaving the retirement pension market to securities companies. As the demand for investment products has exploded to the extent that performance-dividend assets among retirement pension reserves have reached KRW 123 trillion, banks are also seeking to shift their aggressive stance away from conservative management centered on deposits. Experts say that bank stocks still have the appeal of defensive stocks even during periods of interest rate hikes, but the bottom line is that financial companies that provide investors with better returns and a convenient investment environment will be the winners in the market. Mirae Asset's current global strategy can be interpreted as an attempt to secure unrivaled competitiveness amid changes in domestic and overseas market environments.