As the age of artificial intelligence (AI) arrives, the competition among securities firms to enhance their digital capabilities is intensifying. Mirae Asset Securities has emerged as the most proactive in hiring information technology (IT) personnel and investing in the institutional sector. In the first quarter of this year, Mirae Asset increased its IT operating expenses by 35% compared to the same period last year, while expanding its hiring of IT personnel by over 50%.
Other securities firms are also increasing IT personnel hiring and establishing digital departments, enhancing their business competitiveness by providing customer services utilizing AI.
According to the financial investment industry on the 12th, Mirae Asset Securities plans to hire a total of 36 IT personnel this year, with 19 experienced and 17 new employees. Mirae Asset has already hired five experienced employees by last month and plans to recruit over 40 IT personnel this year. Considering that they hired 27 last year in the related department, this year's hiring scale has increased by over 50%.
At the beginning of the year, Mirae Asset Securities established a Market AI Platform Team within its AI Solutions Office and began developing AI agents. In April, it recruited Kim Hyung-rae, former head of development from Kakao's AI dedicated organization "Kanana," as the head of the Market AI Platform Team.
Mirae Asset Securities has been found to invest the most in IT as well. This securities firm used 38.9 billion won for IT operational expenses in the first quarter of this year, which is a 35% increase from 28.8 billion won in the same period last year. Among the top 10 securities firms by domestic equity capital, Mirae Asset Securities ranked first in both the scale and growth rate of IT operational expenses.
Kiwoom Securities' IT operational expenses for the first quarter of this year were reported to be 34 billion won, an increase of 12% compared to the same period last year. Following Mirae Asset and Kiwoom were Samsung Securities (29.1 billion won, 7%), KB Securities (19.2 billion won, 13%), and Shinhan Investment Corp. (12.9 billion won, 22%).
Analysis indicates that Park Hyun-joo, chairman of Mirae Asset Group, has repeatedly emphasized the importance of AI and digital technology, which has led to Mirae Asset Securities' aggressive expansion of digital business. In a conference of the International Business Association last July, Park mentioned, "AI is emerging as a potential solution that will change the future of finance, and Mirae Asset will implement an intelligent AI platform while using this technology transparently and responsibly across all operations." Mirae Asset Securities was also the first among domestic securities firms to publish an AI report last year.
A representative of Mirae Asset Securities noted, "We aim to create a new business model utilizing advanced IT technology," and added, "We are actively conducting hiring in related fields to provide AI and digital-based asset management platforms and investment services."
Other major securities firms are also focusing on strengthening their digital businesses. Especially, since there have been repeated incidents of IT errors this year, they are investing efforts in hiring personnel to prevent recurrence.
Meritz Securities established an Innovation Business Center responsible for platform innovation within its retail department at the beginning of this year and recruited Lee Jang-wook, former leader of the Naver Pay Securities Team. It also hired 18 internal IT staff and 30 outsourced personnel.
Kiwoom Securities plans to hire 42 IT experienced employees this year. A representative of Kiwoom Securities said, "We plan to recruit capable developers to enhance transaction system quality and ensure swift development response capability."