Eurex Launches Futures on MSCI Korea Index, Completing Global Derivatives Map

Eurex has cemented its position as the sole derivatives exchange outside Korea offering access to Korean equity indices with the launch of futures on the MSCI Korea Index. The product, which went live on 14 July 2025, saw immediate institutional interest, including a 600-lot block trade in its first week.

Ralf Huesmann, Eurex's head of MSCI Derivatives product design, anticipates the contract will gain traction during quarterly roll periods. "This is fundamentally an institutional product," he noted, highlighting its role in replacing total return swaps for banks seeking USD-denominated exposure to Korea within the MSCI framework.

The launch marks the culmination of a decade-long effort to cover all major MSCI-classified markets. With Korea representing over 10% of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, this addition leaves only five minor markets uncovered in Eurex's 47-country derivatives suite.