South Korea ends 70-year-monopoly with the unveiling of second stock exchange: Video

Man takes a photo of the electronic board displaying share prices during a trading session at the Pakistan Stock Exchange, in Karachi

A man uses a mobile phone as he takes a photo of the electronic board displaying share prices during a trading session at the Pakistan Stock Exchange, in Karachi, Pakistan November 28, 2023. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro/ File Photo

Source: X02626

South Korea launched Nextrade (NXT), an alternative trading system, on March 4, 2025, marking the end of the Korea Exchange's (KRX) near 70-year monopoly over the country's stock market.

Nextrade will offer extended trading hours from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time, surpassing KRX's 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. schedule. This 12-hour window includes pre-market sessions from 8:00 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. and after-hours trading from 3:40 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., providing investors with greater flexibility.

A consortium of 34 securities and technology firms has established Nextrade, with 29 brokerage houses ready to participate from the first day. The platform aims to capture a 10% market share within three years, introducing competition to South Korea's stock trading landscape.

Abigail Johnson Boakye