[2026 Asia Fund Awards] Asset Managers Contribute to the Capital Market with Innovative Products

Marking its 17th year, the "2026 Asia Fund Awards" was established to encourage financial institutions that strive for the development of the fund market and to seek directions for future innovation. The Asia Business Daily conducted a comprehensive evaluation of fund products that delivered solid returns last year, and presented awards by selecting fund products and asset management companies that led the market with their performance.

Last year, domestic fund net assets reached 1,376.3 trillion won, up 25.3% from the previous year. A total of about 168.9 trillion won flowed into the overall fund market on a net basis, and net assets increased across all fund types. In particular, the total net assets of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) came to 297.1 trillion won, growing 71.2% compared with the end of the previous year. As the retirement pension market expands and individual demand for wealth management increases, the target date fund (TDF) market is also growing rapidly. Leading domestic asset managers have swiftly introduced new products that can help grow assets by identifying financial trends and consumer needs.

The grand prize at the 2026 Asia Fund Awards went to Mirae Asset Global Investments. The firm has secured its position as a truly global asset manager in the ETF markets not only in Korea but also worldwide. Through balanced growth across all segments including ETFs and pensions, it has ushered in the era of 500 trillion won in assets under management. It has been recognized for carrying out global asset allocation based on Mirae Asset's strong global network spanning the world, and for possessing the capability to utilize not only artificial intelligence (AI) but also a wide range of investment tools.

With the KOSPI index surpassing the 5,000-point level for the first time in history and heading toward the so-called "Yukcheonpi" (6,000 points), financial authorities, the Korea Financial Investment Association, and the asset management industry are making every effort to help invigorate the capital market amid an unprecedented stock market boom. Through the Asia Fund Awards, it is expected that asset managers with outstanding performance will grow even further, and that those whose results were lackluster last year will redouble their efforts.