Some major U.S.-based issuers of exchange traded funds are looking to increase their global footprints and are expected to list some well-known ETFs in South Korea.
“The Korea Exchange said Monday that it will seek to lure overseas exchange traded funds (ETFs) into the local stock market in order to meet rising demand for overseas direct investment by locals,” reports the Korea Times.
Well-known U.S. ETFs that could be listed in South Korea include the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEArca: GLD) and the iShares Silver Trust (NYSEArca: SLV), according to the report.
U.S. ETF issuers could “also list various types of ETFs tracking foreign currencies and Treasuries, such as the Chinese yuan and Japanese yen, on the local stock market,” notes the Korea Times.
U.S. ETF issuers listing products in other countries as a means of generating asset growth is not uncommon. For example, WisdomTree (NasdaqGS: WETF), the fifth-largest U.S. sponsor of exchange traded funds, has a significant footprint in Latin America, among other regions. Last year, Mexico’s pension funds investment regulator, La Comisión Nacional del Sistema de Ahorro para el Retiro (CONSAR), approved six WisdomTree ETFs for sale to Mexican pension plans. [WisdomTree Grows in Latin America]