South Korea’s biggest lenders boost trading desks ahead of 24-hour won trading

South Korea’s largest banks are hiring traders and reshuffling schedules in preparation for something the won has never done before: trade nearly 24 hours a day. The shift, set to go live on July 6, 2026, represents one of the most significant structural changes to Korea’s foreign exchange market in decades.

Hana Bank, Woori Bank, Shinhan Bank, and KB Kookmin Bank are all expanding their FX trading operations across Seoul and London.

Who’s hiring, and where

Hana Bank is adding three new FX traders to support a three-shift system that will keep its desks covered around the clock. Woori Bank is doubling its London team from two traders to four. Shinhan Bank is adding one trader in London, while KB Kookmin Bank is bringing on two additional staff.

London sits in a time zone that covers the gap between the Asian trading session’s end and the start of New York hours. Having bodies in chairs during those hours means Korean banks won’t have to rely on automated systems or skeleton crews during what has traditionally been their off-period.

The road to round-the-clock trading

In 2024, trading hours were extended to run until 2 a.m. Seoul time. The South Korean government made its intentions formal in September 2025, announcing plans to enable round-the-clock won-dollar trading and ease regulations for non-residents participating in the FX market. Trial runs are scheduled for June 2026, with the full launch following on July 6.

South Korea is one of the world’s largest exporters, particularly in semiconductors and technology. Companies like Samsung and SK Hynix operate on global timetables, and their treasury teams need to hedge currency risk at all hours. When the won only trades during Korean hours, any major global event happening overnight creates a gap where Korean exporters and investors wake up to price moves they couldn’t react to in real time.

The risks no one is ignoring

Traders have raised concerns about what happens during low-liquidity periods. When fewer participants are active, individual trades can move prices more dramatically.

Running a 24-hour operation means someone is always on. Three-shift systems, like the one Hana Bank is implementing, spread the burden across teams, but shift transitions become critical moments where information needs to transfer cleanly.

If non-resident participants and global funds don’t engage meaningfully during the extended window, Korean banks could find themselves staffing desks for hours where very little happens, punctuated by occasional bursts of volatility. A one-year review of the trading transition is planned post-launch.

What this means for investors

Non-residents will have more flexibility to trade the won on their own schedules rather than waking up at odd hours to catch the Seoul session. For Korea’s export-heavy economy, better hedging tools mean companies can lock in exchange rates more efficiently, reducing the currency risk that eats into margins.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.