The securities firm is developing systems and updating contract documents while working with overseas affiliates in the United States and Europe to prepare for account openings and service launches, industry officials said Friday.
Omnibus accounts enable foreigners to trade South Korean stocks through their home-country brokerages without opening separate accounts at South Korean securities firms.
Nonresident foreigners currently face complex procedures to invest in South Korean stocks, including requirements to visit domestic securities firms in person to open accounts—barriers that have drawn persistent criticism.
The Financial Services Commission eased adoption requirements on Nov. 27 by eliminating restrictions on which entities can open omnibus accounts. The system previously required designation as an innovative financial service.
The regulatory shift is widely viewed as an effort to attract dollar inflows and improve foreign investor convenience amid a rising won-dollar exchange rate.
Securities firms must secure foreign brokerage partners before launching the service, meaning adoption timelines will likely vary by company.
Samsung Securities and Yuanta Securities are currently preparing to implement the system. Samsung Securities is in talks with a Hong Kong brokerage, while Yuanta Securities is targeting a first-quarter 2026 launch.
Hana Securities, which became the first South Korean firm to introduce omnibus accounts, plans to expand the service while continuing discussions with brokerages in Japan and Taiwan beyond its existing partnership with Hong Kong's Emperor Securities.
Market analysts say expanded use of omnibus accounts could improve dollar liquidity and benefit South Korea's stock market. The complexity of foreign investment and account structures has been cited as a factor in South Korea's repeated failure to join MSCI's (Morgan Stanley Capital International Index) developed markets index.
Some analysts suggest broader omnibus account adoption could improve South Korea's market-accessibility scores and strengthen its case for developed market status.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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