[DiaryPoint=Reporter Kim Jung-hoon] Samsung Asset Management will list the KODEX U.S. Nasdaq 100 U.S. Treasury 50 ETF on Nov. 10. It will invest 50% each in the Nasdaq 100 and U.S. Treasury bills with 1–3 months remaining to maturity. Its ticker is 0261H0, its annual total expense ratio is 0.25%, and its risk rating is Level 4 (moderate risk).
The fund tracks a benchmark combining the Nasdaq 100 Index and an index of short-term U.S. Treasury securities. It is designed to rebalance its stock and bond holdings daily to keep them at 50/50, within 1 percentage point of each target allocation. The Nasdaq 100 includes large U.S. nonfinancial companies such as Nvidia, Apple and Microsoft.
Eligible for 100% allocation in DC and IRP retirement accounts
Samsung Asset Management says the balanced ETF can be held with up to 100% of assets in defined-contribution (DC) and individual retirement pension (IRP) accounts in South Korea. The firm says the full allocation is permitted regardless of the retirement plan’s limit on riskier assets. Eligibility in personal pension accounts depends on the account type and whether the product is listed by the provider.
The ETF is designed to make monthly distributions, with the 15th of each month as its distribution reference date. The distribution pool may include stock dividends and interest from short-term U.S. Treasuries, and the amount can vary with investment results. A monthly distribution schedule does not mean the fund will pay a fixed amount.
Higher fee than a comparable fund; currency moves also affect returns
A comparable product, PLUS U.S. Nasdaq 100 U.S. Treasury 50, was listed in August 2025. It has an annual total expense ratio of 0.15% and the same Level 4 risk rating. The KODEX ETF’s fee is 0.10 percentage point higher. The two funds have similar 50/50 allocations to the Nasdaq 100 and short-term U.S. Treasuries, but fees alone do not determine performance.
The KODEX ETF is unhedged, so changes in the won–U.S. dollar exchange rate will affect returns measured in won. Samsung Asset Management described it as “an asset-allocation product that combines the stability of short-term U.S. Treasuries, the growth potential of the Nasdaq 100 and the appeal of monthly distributions,” and said it could be an option for increasing Nasdaq 100 exposure in retirement accounts. The fund will list on the South Korean stock market on Nov. 10.