Shinhan Investment & Securities said on the 14th that an analysis of the transaction histories of customers who opened the "domestic market return account (RIA)" launched in on the 14th found a clear flow of funds moving to large-cap blue chips and index-tracking exchange-traded funds (ETF) in Korea after realizing gains in overseas artificial intelligence (AI) and big tech stocks.
According to Shinhan Investment & Securities, as of on the 3rd, among overseas stocks deposited into RIA accounts, Nvidia accounted for the largest share of sales at 19.1% of total overseas stock sales. It was followed by Apple (7.8%), Tesla (7.4%), Alphabet A (6.8%), and Palantir Tech (5.4%), confirming a profit-taking trend centered on global AI and big tech.
By contrast, the most purchased domestic stock by customers who sold overseas stocks was SK hynix, with a 15.7% buy share. Samsung Electronics (15.4%) followed, and KODEX 200 (4.1%), Hyundai Motor (3.6%), and TIGER 200 (2.5%)—leading Korean large caps and index-tracking ETFs—ranked near the top.
This is interpreted as a continuation of the preference for global big tech blue chips into domestic semiconductor and large-cap blue chips. Shinhan Investment & Securities analyzed that strategic fund moves by individual investors are gaining momentum, as they use RIA accounts to enjoy tax benefits on overseas stock gains while also considering returns from domestic stock investments.
The average amount deposited by customers who brought overseas stocks into RIA accounts was about 30 million won, around 60% of the 50 million won deposit limit. Among them, 43.7% of customers sold overseas stocks, and the sellers realized an average gain of about 13 million won per person.
Among customers who opened RIA accounts, 65.3% were men and 34.7% were women, with those in their 40s comprising the largest age group at 31.4%. They were followed by those in their 50s (26.2%), 30s (23.4%), 60s and older (11.9%), and 20s and younger (7.1%).
A Shinhan Investment & Securities official said, "Individual investors are flexibly using RIA accounts to transfer gains from overseas stock investments to the domestic market in line with policy and market conditions," adding, "In particular, there is a clear move to diversify gains secured in AI and big tech stocks into large-cap blue chips and index products in Korea."