Electronic trading major Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:IBKR) today announced the launch of select Korean equities through Nextrade, South Korea’s first Alternative Trading System (ATS).

The addition of Nextrade builds on Interactive Brokers’ earlier launch of the Korea Exchange (KRX), through which it became the first major US-based broker to provide global investors with direct access to Korean equities.

Clients trading on Nextrade benefit from significantly extended trading hours and access to additional liquidity. Interactive Brokers has enabled IB SmartRouting℠ across both the Korea Exchange (KRX) and Nextrade, automatically routing orders to the venue offering the best price. This helps clients achieve best execution while providing greater flexibility and more opportunities to participate in one of Asia’s most dynamic equity markets.

From a single unified platform, Interactive Brokers clients can seamlessly manage diversified global portfolios, trading stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, and funds across more than 170 markets worldwide, now including Korean equities through both the Korea Exchange and Nextrade.

“Korea is home to some of the world’s most innovative companies, and its equity market has become increasingly central to global investment strategies,” said David Friedland, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Interactive Brokers. “By adding Nextrade alongside the Korea Exchange, we’re giving clients greater flexibility and more ways to capture opportunities in one of Asia’s most compelling markets, while further demonstrating our commitment to providing broad, cost-efficient market access worldwide.”

Nextrade offers access to approximately 650 securities from the KOSPI and KOSDAQ markets, competitive fees, and an extended 12-hour trading window, running from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM KST across three sessions. This expanded trading window gives clients greater flexibility to act on Korean market opportunities outside traditional exchange hours, whether responding to overnight global developments or coordinating trades across multiple time zones.

Nextrade operates from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM KST across three sessions: Pre-Market (8:00-8:50 AM), Standard (9:00 AM-3:20 PM), and After-Market (3:30-8:00 PM).