Interactive Brogers Adds Korean Equities via Nextrade ATS

Electronic trading giant Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:IBKR) has launched access to select Korean equities through Nextrade, South Korea's inaugural Alternative Trading System. This move expands on the firm's existing connection to the Korea Exchange (KRX), which made it the first major US broker to offer global investors direct access to Korean stocks.

Clients using Nextrade gain from significantly extended trading hours and additional liquidity. Interactive Brokers has enabled its IB SmartRouting℠ technology across both KRX and Nextrade, automatically directing orders to the venue with the best available price. This aims to achieve best execution while offering more flexibility to engage with one of Asia's most dynamic equity markets.

From a single platform, Interactive Brokers clients can manage global portfolios, trading across over 150 markets worldwide, now including Korean equities via both exchanges. "Korea is home to some of the world's most innovative companies, and its equity market has become increasingly central to global investment strategies," said David Friedland, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Interactive Brokers.

Nextrade provides access to roughly 650 securities from the KOSPI and KOSDAQ markets, competitive fees, and a 12-hour trading window from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM KST. This extended schedule allows clients to react to Korean market opportunities outside standard hours, facilitating responses to overnight global events or cross-timezone trading coordination.

The Nextrade trading day is divided into three sessions: Pre-Market (8:00-8:50 AM KST), Standard (9:00 AM-3:20 PM KST), and After-Market (3:30-8:00 PM KST).