From property to portfolios: Asia’s families rethink inheritance investments
More of the continent’s parents are providing share portfolios and other assets for their offspring as confidence in property begins to wane
The shares, worth a total of about 500,000 won (US$332) at the time, were added to the boy’s brokerage account, part of a plan the 42-year-old South Korean office worker sees as the most realistic way to help his son build wealth.
Choi’s family cannot afford to buy a home in one of Seoul’s most sought-after districts. Nor does he want to buy a cheaper property outside the capital, which he believes is exposed to long-term decline.
“I try to get my son interested in the stock market by doing this together,” Choi said. “It’s a way to help your child build assets through the magic of compounding, while also saving on tax.”
Across East Asia, parents and grandparents are beginning to rethink what kind of wealth is most worth passing on.
In South Korea, that shift is already visible in children’s brokerage accounts. Shinhan Securities reported a 272 per cent year-on-year increase in accounts held by underage clients in the first quarter of 2026. Samsung Electronics was the most actively traded stock among minor investors, it said.