Hello, everyone! 😊
Exciting changes are coming to Korea’s stock market! On March 4, ‘NextTrade,’ the country’s first-ever alternative trading platform, will officially launch.
With this new system, daily stock trading hours will be extended to 12 hours, providing investors with more flexibility and opportunities. Let’s explore the details! 📊
✅ What is an Alternative Trading Platform?
An alternative trading platform operates separately from the Korea Exchange (KRX), allowing investors to trade stocks outside the traditional exchange.
This move is expected to increase market competition, provide more trading options, and enhance overall investor experience.
📅 NextTrade to Begin Operations on March 4
Starting from March 4, NextTrade will officially go live, expanding Korea’s stock trading schedule to 12 hours per day.
✔ New Stock Trading Sessions:
- Pre-market Trading: 8:00 AM – 8:50 AM
- Main Trading Session: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
- After-market Trading: 3:30 PM – 8:00 PM
With these extended hours, investors will have greater flexibility when managing their investments.
🛑 Safeguards for Investors
Concerns have been raised regarding the risks of longer trading hours. To protect investors, the following measures have been introduced:
🔹 If major financial news or sensitive information is released during after-market trading, trading will be temporarily halted.
🔹 The Korea Exchange (KRX) will assess the situation and determine whether trading should resume.
These safety measures are designed to maintain fair and stable trading conditions while offering extended hours.
🔍 How Will Investors Benefit?
With the introduction of multiple trading venues, orders will automatically be routed to the platform offering the best deal for investors.
This means trades will be executed at the most favorable prices and conditions available.
💡 Kim Young-don, Head of Strategy & Marketing at NextTrade, stated:
"Investors will now have access to a more efficient trading environment where transactions are directed to the most advantageous platform."
This innovation aims to improve overall trading efficiency and create a more investor-friendly market.
📌 What’s Next?
✔ 29 brokerage firms are set to join NextTrade at launch on March 4
✔ Initially, only 10 stocks will be available, but this number will increase to 800+ by early April
✔ For the first time in 70 years, the Korea Exchange’s monopoly will be disrupted, fostering competition in the financial market
This marks a major transformation in Korea’s stock trading landscape.
It will be interesting to see how these changes impact investors, market competition, and overall liquidity. 👀
Stay tuned for more updates, and happy investing! 🚀✨
