South Korea's major brokerage firms achieved record earnings in 2025, driven by a bull run in the local stock market. The combined net profit of 27 securities companies reached 10.23 trillion won ($7.03 billion), up sharply from 6.97 trillion won the previous year. This performance was boosted by increased trading activity from retail investors.
South Korea's 27 securities firms recorded a combined net profit of 10.23 trillion won ($7.03 billion) in 2025, marking a record high according to industry data released Sunday. This represents a sharp rise from 6.97 trillion won in the previous year, propelled by a bull market in local stocks. Leading the pack, Korea Investment & Securities reported 2.01 trillion won in net income, a 79 percent increase year-over-year, followed by Mirae Asset Securities with 1.59 trillion won, Kiwoom Investment & Securities with 1.12 trillion won, NH Investment & Securities with 1.03 trillion won, and Samsung Securities with 1.01 trillion won.
The strong results were partly attributed to higher commission fees from surging retail investor trading. The average daily turnover on the local stock market reached 16.9 trillion won in 2025, a 57 percent jump from the year before. The benchmark KOSPI index surged over 75 percent last year and has advanced around 30 percent so far this year.
Brokerage firms are expected to see further profit growth as trading volumes continue to rise. Analysts predict the daily turnover could hit as high as 45 trillion won this year, with January alone averaging 62 trillion won. The headquarters of these major brokerages are located in Seoul's Yeouido financial district, which benefited from the market rally.
