"Parents Deposited 10 Million Won for Me"... Securities Accounts Surge 272% Amid Record-Breaking Bull Market

Shinhan Investment & Securities Analyzes Account Openings and Domestic and Overseas Investment Trends Among Minor and Parent Customers

Stock investment by minors is increasing rapidly. In the first quarter alone, the number of newly opened accounts surged by 272% compared to a year earlier. The most frequently traded stock among these investors was common shares of Samsung Electronics.

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On April 29, Shinhan Investment Corp. announced that, in celebration of Family Month in May, it had analyzed account openings by minors and parent customers, along with domestic and overseas stock trading data for January to March this year. The number of accounts opened by minors in the first quarter rose by 272% year-on-year. Of these, 58.4% were opened via non-face-to-face channels. This indicates that the center of account opening is shifting from in-person branch visits to mobile channels.

The average balance per account among minors was found to be approximately 10 million won. A representative from Shinhan Investment Corp. explained, "This suggests that accounts in children's names are being used not only for simple investment experiences, but also as tools for mid- to long-term asset management and financial education."

Looking at their domestic stock trading, the most traded stock was common shares of Samsung Electronics. This was followed by TIGER US S&P500 ETF, Samsung Electronics preferred shares, SK hynix, and KODEX 200 ETF—meaning that large-cap blue chips and index-tracking ETFs were among the top choices. A Shinhan Investment Corp. representative stated, "Investment by minors tended to focus on market-leading assets rather than selecting individual stocks."

In overseas stock trading, there was a clear difference in investment tendencies between minors and parent customers. Among minors, top-traded overseas stocks included leading global companies such as Tesla, Apple, and NVIDIA, as well as several US index ETFs like Invesco QQQ Trust, SPDR S&P500 ETF, and Vanguard S&P500 ETF. In contrast, parent customers had a relatively higher proportion of trades in individual global big tech stocks such as NVIDIA, Tesla, Apple, and Microsoft, highlighting that accounts owned by minors had a more diversified, index-focused investment structure.

By product category, minors' accounts showed that about 52% of investment experience was in domestic stocks, around 17% in overseas stocks, followed by other financial products. Notably, in overseas investments, the proportion of indirect investment through ETFs was relatively high compared to direct stock investment, demonstrating that these accounts serve as a starting point for learning about global diversified investment. Overall, minors' accounts were characterized by long-term, education-oriented investment behavior, with less frequent trading and a tendency to hold large-cap stocks and ETFs for extended periods.

A Shinhan Investment Corp. representative stated, "In 2026, the share of non-face-to-face account openings for minors has expanded further, making mobile platforms the starting point for children's finances." He added, "We plan to continue expanding financial education content and global diversified investment services that can be used together by guardians and their children."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.