Main Highlights
- Korea Investment Management’s ACE U.S. AI Tech Core Industry Active ETF has seen significant investor interest, recording 28 billion KRW in net purchases on its launch day and exceeding 76 billion KRW within five days.
- The ETF aims to capture the AI-driven industrial shift by investing across four core sectors: computing infrastructure, AI hardware, energy infrastructure, and AI software, covering the entire AI value chain.
- Korea Investment Management is increasing its focus on U.S. technology and growth stocks, evidenced by other successful ETFs like the ACE U.S. Big Tech TOP7 Plus ETF and the ACE Global Semiconductor TOP4 Plus ETF.
- The ACE U.S. Big Tech TOP7 Plus ETF, focusing on major tech giants and growth drivers like cloud and AI, has experienced continuous inflows and impressive returns since its September 2023 launch.
- The ACE Global Semiconductor TOP4 Plus ETF targets key segments of the semiconductor market—memory, non-memory, foundry, and equipment—reflecting semiconductors’ integral role in AI and other tech advancements.
Strong Investor Demand for ACE U.S. AI Tech ETF
The ACE U.S. AI Tech Core Industry Active Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF), launched by Korea Investment Management on October 28, is experiencing substantial investor enthusiasm. On its debut, on-chain data revealed that individual investors made net purchases totaling 28 billion Korean won. This strong start continued, with the ETF surpassing cumulative individual net purchases of 76 billion Korean won within just five days of its listing.
A representative from Korea Investment Management highlighted that the advancement of AI technology represents a fundamental industrial transformation, now deeply integrated into daily life. They emphasized that the question for investors is no longer whether to invest in AI, but rather how and in which specific areas to allocate capital.
Comprehensive AI Value Chain Coverage
Korea Investment Management stated that the ACE U.S. AI Tech Core Industry Active ETF is designed to capture the technological shifts propelled by artificial intelligence across industries. The fund strategically adjusts its investment focus across four key sectors: computing infrastructure, AI hardware, energy infrastructure, and AI software. This approach ensures that the ETF encompasses the entire AI value chain and remains responsive to evolving market dynamics.
“AI, big tech, and semiconductors are not short-term trend sectors but megatrends fundamentally transforming industrial structures. Broad benefits are expected from AI infrastructure to application stages, and their influence will grow as changes accelerate.”
– Nam Yong-soo, Head of ETF Management Division at Korea Investment Management.
Nam Yong-soo of Korea Investment Management further explained that their ACE ETFs are structured by identifying core market trend axes to define investment areas. He assured that the fund would continue to offer strategic investment alternatives aligned with investor needs. Yong-soo also noted that the current period presents an optimal time for AI investments, particularly for those seeking to be at the forefront of artificial intelligence innovation.
Korea Investment Management’s Focus on U.S. Technology
Following a rebranding of its ACE ETF lineup, Korea Investment Management has intensified its strategic focus on U.S. technology and growth stocks. This strategic shift is evident in products like the ACE U.S. Big Tech TOP7 Plus ETF.
This particular ETF concentrates its investments in seven prominent U.S. technology companies, including giants like Google, NVIDIA, Apple, and Microsoft. Korea Investment Management indicated that this fund also captures significant growth drivers within the tech sector, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, data centers, and platform-based businesses. Since its launch in September 2023, the ETF has consistently attracted capital inflows, with cumulative individual net purchases reaching 124 billion Korean won since the start of 2025. Demonstrating steady performance, the fund has experienced 16 consecutive days of individual net purchases. On-chain data shows impressive returns, with a 6-month return of 45.28%, a 1-year return of 45.55%, and a post-listing return of 129.61%.
The firm also launched the ACE Global Semiconductor TOP4 Plus ETF, its initial product under the rebranded ACE ETF lineup. This ETF is positioned as a leading technology stock fund, targeting the four primary segments of the global semiconductor market: memory, non-memory, foundry, and semiconductor equipment.
Korea Investment Management views semiconductors as a crucial infrastructure industry, integral to advancements in AI, data centers, and automotive electronics. The ACE Global Semiconductor TOP4 Plus ETF currently manages 632.7 billion Korean won in assets. It has delivered a 6-month return of 103.77% and a remarkable post-listing return of 377.34%, with its share price exceeding 40,000 Korean won. As of its latest reporting, Korea Investment Management’s stock was trading around 172,399 KRW.
Expert Summary
Korea Investment Management’s new ACE U.S. AI Tech Core Industry Active ETF is attracting significant attention from investors, reflecting the growing importance of artificial intelligence. The fund’s comprehensive approach to the AI value chain and the firm’s strengthened focus on U.S. tech stocks signal a strategic positioning in key growth sectors.
