'PLUS' Solidifies Its Presence in the ETF Market with Top Returns in 2025

Five PLUS ETFs Rank in Top 10 Domestic and Overseas ETFs for 2025
Differentiation Achieved Through 'Selection and Concentration' Over Mere Expansion

Hanwha Asset Management announced on January 9 that its PLUS Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) ranked among the top performers in both domestic and overseas ETF returns last year, excluding leveraged and inverse products.

According to financial information provider FnGuide, a total of five PLUS ETFs (two domestic and three overseas) were included among the top 10 ETFs by return in both domestic and overseas categories for 2025.

Despite being a latecomer to the ETF market, Hanwha Asset Management had the largest number of ETF products ranked in the top 10 for returns in 2025. Currently, the company offers 75 ETF products-fewer than the average of 108 products among the top five asset managers by assets under management-but has demonstrated efficiency by achieving high performance with a smaller lineup.

In the domestic ETF market, the defense and energy sectors stood out. "PLUS K-Defense" recorded an annual return of 177.74% and net assets of 1.1968 trillion won, achieving both strong performance and scale. Since its listing in 2023, it has established itself as Korea's leading defense ETF. "PLUS Solar & ESS" also ranked eighth with an annual return of 143.37%.

Among overseas ETFs, semiconductors were dominant. "PLUS Global HBM Semiconductor" posted an annual return of 168.72%, ranking first overall. "PLUS Global Defense" (82.21%) and "PLUS Global Rare Earth & Strategic Resources Industry" (77.86%) also secured top spots. The strengths of the PLUS ETF lineup were evident not only in Korea but also in global thematic markets.

This performance was attributed to a "selection and concentration" strategy. Hanwha Asset Management has focused its capabilities on core themes with clear competitive advantages, rather than simply expanding the number of products or its market presence in the ETF sector.

Choi Youngjin, Vice President of Hanwha Asset Management, said, "We have built our lineup around areas with relatively clear structural growth drivers, such as defense, HBM (semiconductors), and strategic resources. We will continue to take a deep approach to these themes to help grow investors' assets."

He added, "In 2026, attention should be paid to Korea's manufacturing industry, with a focus on four themes: defense, technology, energy, and currency."