Investor deposits at South Korean securities firms fell to ₩88.68 trillion on October 22, down ₩51.01 trillion, or 36.5%, from a record ₩139.69 trillion on June 4, according to the Korea Financial Investment Association. The balance dropped below ₩90 trillion on October 21 for the first time in about nine months, returning to early-2026 levels.

The decline largely reflects cash being spent on stocks rather than leaving the market. From June 4 to October 23, individual investors were net buyers of ₩44.17 trillion on KOSPI and ₩3.15 trillion on KOSDAQ, plus ₩28.25 trillion of ETFs. Unlike the first half of the year, new deposits have not kept pace with that spending. The KOSPI closed at 5,533.77 on October 22, 39.3% below its June record close.