South Korean Investors Accumulate $2.8B in Chinese Assets in H1 2026, Focusing on AI Chip Makers

According to BlockBeats citing Korean securities depository data, South Korean individual investors made net purchases of approximately $2.819 billion in Chinese assets during the first half of 2026, with A-share acquisitions reaching $678 million, a year-over-year surge of 130.55%. Semiconductor equipment maker Applied Materials Korea subsidiary Northern Huachuang led A-share purchases at $33.94 million, followed by AI chip leader Cambrian at $27.28 million and CATL at third place.

In Hong Kong-listed stocks, SMIC attracted the most Korean interest with $85.46 million in purchases, while AI company MiniMax garnered $66.65 million. Ten Chinese asset-focused ETFs collectively received $209 million in net inflows, with Global X China Semiconductor ETF leading at $60.83 million.