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Korea accounts for nearly 11 percent of the MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Index, making it an important market for international institutional investors.
Deutsche Börse's derivatives exchange Eurex has launched futures contracts on the MSCI Korea Index, becoming the only derivatives exchange outside Korea to offer access to a Korean equity index.
Trading in the USD-denominated futures contracts on the MSCI Korea Net Total Return Index commenced on 14 July 2025, providing international institutional investors with cost-effective access to the Korean equity market.
Korea represents 10.73% of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index as of 30 June 2025, ranking as the fourth-largest country allocation in the index, which captures large- and mid-cap representation across 24 emerging market countries.
The launch follows completion of a clearing link between Eurex and Korea Exchange (KRX). Whilst KRX's existing KOSPI derivatives are primarily used by retail investors and market makers, Eurex's new MSCI Korea futures target international institutional investors, including asset managers, asset owners and banks seeking USD-denominated Korean market exposure.
"As global leader in MSCI derivatives we now added a last major piece in the puzzle of our MSCI offering with the goal to cover all Developed and Emerging Markets globally," said Ralf Huesmann, heading product design for MSCI derivatives at Eurex. "This allows global investors to trade all these markets with the same index methodology, similar contract specifications and bundled in one clearing house to be highly margin efficient."
George Harrington, Global Head of Fixed Income and Derivatives at MSCI
George Harrington, Global Head of Fixed Income and Derivatives at MSCI, said:
"We are pleased to collaborate with Eurex on its launch of the first futures contract linked to the MSCI Korea Index. Designed to represent the performance of large- and mid-cap segments of the Korean market, this index suite is broadly used by institutional investors worldwide as a benchmark for Korean equity exposure. Its integration into index-linked instruments underscores the critical role that transparent and rules-based index methodologies play in supporting informed and efficient global investment decisions."
With the Korean addition, Eurex now lists futures on 41 of 47 countries classified as developed or emerging markets by MSCI. The exchange offers country futures on any market with weightings above 1% in either the MSCI World Index or MSCI EM Index.
Eurex currently offers 146 MSCI futures, with approximately half the trading volume focused on the Asia-Pacific region. This regional emphasis is reflected in open interest, where 45% of total open interest worth €135 billion is linked to Asian underlyings.
Eurex operates as the leading European derivatives exchange and, with Eurex Clearing, one of the leading central counterparties globally, providing customers with risk management solutions across liquid, efficient markets.
