The nation’s margin loan balance topped 26 trillion won, or roughly 17.8 billion U.S. dollars, earlier this month, but overall market risk remained below average, data showed Monday.
 
According to the FSC's latest report on credit loans and risk management, South Korea's margin loan balance stood at 26-point-two trillion won, or roughly 17-point-nine billion U.S. dollars, as of November 7.
 
The figure rose from 24-point-three trillion won recorded in the fourth week of October to 25-point-one trillion won the following week.

In the first week of November, the balance climbed to 25-point-eight trillion won, then hit 26 trillion won in the second week.

The ratio of margin loan balances to total market capitalization shows how large investors’ margin borrowing is compared with the overall size of the stock market. As of July 2025, margin debt was 1.9 percent of the S&P 500's market cap, below the historical average of 2.3 percent calculated since 1997.

South Korea's margin loan balance remains around zero-point-seven percent of its total market cap, which is lower than the six-year average of zero-point-77 percent.
 
The FSC explained that the country is not in a situation where credit loans are deemed excessive, and that the government is managing risk strictly.
 
The agency said margin trading, or investing with borrowed money, is also at “manageable” levels.

The margin loan balance across the financial sector decreased by two trillion won from a year ago in the January to October period, the FSC said, adding that margin loans are capped at the borrower's annual income.