KODEX Robot Active ETF Surpasses 500 Billion Won in Net Assets

With the start of the new year, expectations for the commercialization of humanoids are rapidly spreading, particularly centered around the United States and China. As leading global humanoid manufacturers begin mass production, Korean robot component companies are expected to play a key role in the core supply chain.

On January 6, Samsung Asset Management announced that the net assets of 'KODEX Robot Active,' which focuses on investing in Korean robot stocks, have reached 527.3 billion won. The ETF achieved a high return of 117.6% last year, delivering the best performance among domestically listed robot ETFs. It outperformed its benchmark index by 11.9 percentage points (P), demonstrating the strengths of active management. Compared to the KOSPI, it delivered a return that was 42.0 percentage points higher. As news of these high returns spread among individual investors, net purchases by individuals over the past year amounted to 112.2 billion won.

The significant inflow of funds into KODEX Robot Active was driven by various domestic and international growth momentum. Hyundai Motor Group announced plans to invest approximately 50 trillion won in new future businesses such as physical AI and robotics by 2030. The possibility of an executive order by the U.S. government to foster the robotics industry is also driving up the share prices of domestic robot stocks.

Attention in this emerging market is now turning to 'CES 2026.' This year, AI and robotics are once again emerging as key topics, and in particular, LG Electronics has officially announced that it will unveil its first humanoid robot, 'Cloyd,' at CES 2026. Many other Korean companies are also expected to participate and showcase AI and humanoid robot technologies, which could once again serve as additional momentum for further stock price increases.

KODEX Robot Active builds its portfolio by including major robot-related stocks such as Rainbow Robotics, Robotis, and Doosan Robotics, as well as large corporations that are actively investing in the robotics industry, including Samsung Electronics, NAVER, Kakao, and LG Electronics. Samsung Asset Management explained that, since the robotics industry itself is still in its early growth stage, active ETFs that quickly incorporate new stocks and increase the proportion of large-cap stocks during overheated periods of price volatility are a good investment strategy.

Jung Jaeuk, Head of ETF Management Team 3 at Samsung Asset Management, stated, "The robotics industry is a sector with extremely high long-term growth potential, as it creates synergy by combining accumulated robotics technology with advances in artificial intelligence (AI). It is a core industry that will change the next 10 years," adding, "It should be approached from a long-term growth perspective, not as a short-term theme."