Korea's Individual Savings Account market has passed 10 million subscribers, more than a decade after the tax-advantaged product was introduced.
The Korea Financial Investment Association said 10.05 million people held ISA accounts at the end of August. That is roughly one in four adults, based on the country's adult population. Subscriber growth accelerated this year, with about 2.4 million new accounts added over the first eight months.
Assets have grown even faster. The amount held in ISAs reached 76.5 trillion won, up 58.1 percent from 48.4 trillion won eight months earlier. The rise coincided with stronger equity-market interest and broader use of the accounts for stocks, ETFs, bonds and other investments.
ISAs provide tax advantages on investment income. Up to 2 million won of annual gains can be exempt from tax, while gains above that level are taxed at a lower rate than the standard financial-income tax rate. The latest numbers show the product has moved from a niche savings vehicle into a mainstream part of household investing.