📚 Kiwoom Securities: Credit Rating Upgrade and Digital Asset Strategy - 2026.07.20

Let’s take a systematic look at recent developments at Kiwoom Securities from the perspective of industrial structure and the value chain. Beyond simple stock price fluctuations, changes in the company's creditworthiness and business portfolio are acting as key variables. 📚

Credit Rating Upgrade: Effect of Reducing Funding Costs

NICE Investors Service has upgraded Kiwoom Securities' credit rating by one notch from 'AA-' to 'AA' ^[1]. This is interpreted as a result reflecting its proven market competitiveness in the brokerage, finance, and wealth management sectors ^[2]. The rise in credit rating is expected to lead directly to lower funding rates, acting as a positive factor that strengthens Kiwoom Securities' capacity for business expansion ^[2]. Structurally, low funding costs contribute directly to improving a brokerage firm's profitability, providing an important foundation for gaining an edge in the competition for scale ^[1].

New Business Entry: Retirement Pensions and Digital Assets

Kiwoom Securities launched its Individual Retirement Pension (IRP) business last month, securing 64.9 billion KRW in new IRP reserves in the second quarter ^[3]. This is a result of valuation gains from the stock market boom and efforts to attract new customers, signifying a full-scale entry into the retirement pension market ^[3]. Furthermore, the company is showing moves to expand its reach beyond the retail brokerage market into the digital asset trading platform market, challenging Bithumb, the industry's second-largest player ^[4]. This is a significant issue related to Kiwoom Securities' strategy for business diversification and securing new growth axes, and can be seen as an attempt to extend its retail strength based on the existing Yeongmungun HTS/MTS to new asset classes ^[4].

Market Outlook and Strengthening the IB Sector

Kiwoom Securities predicted that the KOSPI index will secure downward support in the early-to-mid 6000 range, suggesting an expected range of 6300–7300 points for this week ^[5]. This analysis considers trends in the US and Japanese markets ^[6]. Meanwhile, Koo Sung-min, Senior Managing Director at Kiwoom Securities, emphasized that the core of IB competitiveness lies in industrial expertise and field-oriented sales, revealing a strategy to expand venture capital and corporate finance following the approval for issuing promissory notes ^[7]. Kiwoom Securities is seeking growth in the IB sector by solidifying its position as a powerhouse in the DCM (Debt Capital Market) in addition to its traditional retail sales capabilities ^[7].

Stock Price Trends and Treasury Stock Purchases

In recent trading sessions, in line with the overall decline of around 5% in brokerage stocks, Kiwoom Securities closed at 307,000 KRW, down 4.66% from the previous trading day ^[8]. According to recent stock price data provided for reference, the closing price on July 20, 2026, was 306,500 KRW, with a fluctuation rate of -4.81%. This is an example of the sensitive reaction of brokerage stocks amidst increased market volatility. On the other hand, Kiwoom Securities' treasury stock purchase volume was recorded at 1.1136 trillion KRW, ranking 3rd among general brokerage firms (excluding bank-affiliated ones) after Korea Investment & Securities and Mirae Asset Securities ^[9]. This is interpreted as an indicator of Kiwoom Securities' active shareholder return policy and financial stability ^[9].

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네이버뉴스 · 2026.07.20

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📚 Kiwoom Securities: Credit Rating Upgrade and Digital Asset Strategy - 2026.07.20

Credit Rating Upgrade: Effect of Reducing Funding Costs

New Business Entry: Retirement Pensions and Digital Assets

Market Outlook and Strengthening the IB Sector

Stock Price Trends and Treasury Stock Purchases

Other Researcher Perspectives

📰 Reference News (11)

[Securities Industry Game Changer] ① Beyond the Bull Market to Structural Change… Competitiveness of Scaling Up

[Securities Industry Game Changer] Beyond the Bull Market to Structural Change… The Power of Scaling Up

Brokerage Firm Retirement Pensions

Kiwoom Eyes 'Industry No. 2' Bithumb... Expanding Beyond Retail into Digital Assets - NewsWay

Kiwoom Securities: "KOSPI to Secure Downward Support in Early-to-Mid 6000 Range"

Kiwoom Securities: "KOSPI to Secure Downward Support in Early-to-Mid 6000 Range" - Newsis

"IB That Knows the Field Best is Competitive"... Growth Formula According to Koo Sung-min, Senior Managing Director of Kiwoom Securities [Coverage, The Hands That Catch Corporations] ⑦

[Up & Down] Brokerage Stocks Drop 5%, Mirae Asset Securities↓, Samsung Securities↓

KB Securities with '1.7 Trillion KRW War Chest'... Targeting IMA Beyond Mega IB [Bank-Affiliated Brokerages Chasing Specialized Firms (2)] - Korea Financial Times

[This Week's Stock Market] Volatile Market Centered on Semiconductor Stocks Likely to Continue

[Good Morning! Financial Knowledge] Why is Short Selling Controversial? - Good Morning Economy

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