Shinhan Securities Co. has acquired an equity stake in FireAnt, Vietnam’s largest retail trading and financial information platform, as the South Korean brokerage expands its digital footprint across Southeast Asia.
The Seoul-based company disclosed the investment on Monday without revealing the size of the stake or financial terms of the transaction. Shinhan’s Vietnamese subsidiary will spearhead business activities and partnership initiatives with FireAnt.
The move comes as South Korean financial firms increasingly target Vietnam’s growing capital markets, where retail investor participation has surged in recent years. FireAnt has established itself as a dominant player in Vietnam’s fintech landscape by providing trading tools and financial information to individual investors.
Vietnam’s stock market capitalization has grown to approximately 93.5 trillion won ($68.4 billion) as of March 2025, according to market data, making it an attractive expansion target for regional financial institutions.
Analysts note that Shinhan’s investment strategy aligns with broader industry trends of established Asian brokerages seeking growth through technology-focused acquisitions in emerging markets rather than building capabilities from scratch.
This acquisition follows several similar moves by South Korean financial institutions looking to diversify revenue streams beyond their competitive home market.
