As of the end of last year, there were 14.5 million stock investors in South Korea, meaning one in three citizens participates in the stock market. Investment requires capital, and having more seed money can lead to greater profits. Consequently, the primary age group for stock investment is individuals in their 40s and 50s. The investment share of younger generations, who generally have less capital, has been minimal. However, since the second half of last year, interest in stock investment among young people has been gradually increasing.
According to the Korea Securities Depository, the number of individual investors in the domestic stock market was 14.1 million in 2024 and 14.56 million in 2025. While annual statistics for this year will be released around March next year, a significant increase is expected due to the stock market boom.
By age group, the core demographic for stock investment is individuals in their 50s. In 2024, 22.4% of all individual investors were in their 50s, totaling 3,162,226 people. This figure remained similar in 2025, with 23.1% or 3,332,547 individuals in that age group. Following them, those in their 40s made up the next largest group, accounting for 22.1% of investors in 2024 and 21.8% in 2025. Individuals in their 50s and 40s are typically mid-level managers in companies, earning more than those in their 20s and 30s, which naturally positions them as the primary investors.
What about the investment share of those in their 20s and 30s? In 2024, individuals in their 20s (including those under 20) represented 15.3% of the total, amounting to 2,153,255 people. This dropped to 14.1% or 203,7954 in 2025. The share of investors in their 30s is higher than that of those in their 20s, as they have begun earning salaries. In 2024, 2,654,965 individuals in their 30s accounted for 18.8% of all investors, while in 2025, this number decreased to 2,605,013, or 18.1%.
While the number of investors in their 20s and 30s is not insignificant compared to those in their 40s and 50s, the number of shares they own shows a stark contrast. In 2024, individuals in their 20s held only 1.6% of total shares, while those in their 30s held just 7%. A similar trend was observed last year, with 20-somethings owning 1.4% of total shares and 30-somethings holding 6.3%. In contrast, individuals in their 50s owned 34.6% of total shares in 2024 and 34.4% in 2025. The share of stocks owned by those in their 40s was also significant, at 20% in 2024 and 18.6% in 2025. Although the number of young investors is not small, their limited capital results in fewer shares owned.
This year is expected to be different. There is a clear trend of individuals in their 20s and 30s shifting their focus from cryptocurrencies to stocks. According to NH Investment & Securities, a major brokerage firm in South Korea, the number of new accounts opened by clients in their 20s and 30s surged in the first half of this year. Last year, there were 118,200 new accounts opened by this age group, but this year, over 110,000 new accounts were added in just the first half. If this trend continues, the annual total could double compared to last year. Additionally, the average account balance for young investors has also seen a significant increase, rising from approximately 8.23 million won last year to 9.33 million won in the first quarter and 13.4 million won in the second quarter of this year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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