INTERNATIONAL: Eurex and Korea Exchange Expand Around-the-Clock Ecosystem for KOSPI Derivatives

Wednesday November 17 2021

On 16^th November 2021, Eurex Exchange and the Korea Exchange (KRX) announced that they will expand their tradable product range with Weekly Options on the Korean benchmark index KOSPI 200. With weekly expirations on one of the world’s most heavily traded index options contracts, the two exchanges are expanding their around-the-clock ecosystem for KOSPI derivatives. Both exchanges emphasize once again their decade-long commitment to connecting markets globally.

Both exchanges announced that trading in the new contract will start in the first quarter of 2022. The launch is of high strategic importance for KRX and Eurex. KOSPI 200 Options are among the three most heavily exchange traded index contracts globally. An average daily turnover in the Weekly Options of over 1 million contracts at KRX shows the high demand for weekly expiries. The ability to trade them outside the Korean trading hours gives investors greater flexibility and precision to customize short-term risk exposures in the Korean market.

Eurex is currently the only venue where international investors can access KOSPI derivatives outside the Korean trading hours and during European and North American trading hours.

The upcoming product listing is the latest step in the expansion of the partner exchanges’ link which started in August 2010. The new Weekly Options complement the regular KOSPI 200 Options, of which over 277 million contracts have been traded on the link since 2010. Further products tradable on the link are KOSPI 200 Futures, Mini-KOSPI 200 Futures, and the recently launched USD/KRW Futures. It is expected that CFTC approval will be granted for the KOSPI 200 Futures contracts on the Eurex/KRX link from Q1 2022 to allow access for U.S. investors.

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