Herald Economy = Reporters Yoo Dong-hyun, Kyung Ye-eun, and Moon Eie-lim]
At Herald Money Festa 2025, held under the theme “Wealth Navigation—the Shortcut to Building Wealth,” investor interest extended beyond stocks and real estate to include digital assets, bonds, and derivatives. As the purchasing power of money weakens and major investment assets rise simultaneously—an “everything rally”—inquiries continued from investors seeking ways to avoid falling behind and diversify their portfolios.

On the 16th, a freelance man in his 50s surnamed Yang from Gangseo District, Seoul, visited the booth of YouthMeta, a cryptocurrency price forecasting platform. After receiving a consultation, he completed the entire process—from installing and registering on a Korean won–based exchange app to making a purchase—marking his first foray into digital asset investment.

Yang said he had been familiar with Bitcoin and Ethereum but had hesitated to invest due to volatility. As Bitcoin began to show more stable price movements, however, he came to view it as an asset class. “After attending a lecture on cryptocurrencies today, I felt I should start investing,” he said. “Listening to the explanations at the booth, I bought Bitcoin for the first time.”

The YouthMeta booth drew a wide range of visitors, from beginners like Yang to seasoned investors, underscoring the strong interest in cryptocurrencies. A 20-year-old college student surnamed Choi from Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, said, “I started investing after Trump’s election last year. I was intrigued by the platform’s price forecasting, and I think it could help me grow my seed capital.” A housewife in her 40s surnamed Kim from Seongdong District, Seoul, added, “Crypto felt harder than stocks, but if it offers predictions with a high probability, it seems helpful.”

Interest in government bonds as safe-haven assets was also notable. A man in his 60s surnamed Jang from Incheon, who consulted at the Mirae Asset Securities booth, said, “I usually invest in bonds and funds, and today I asked about a 10-year bond yielding around 4%, including separate taxation and tax-exempt options. I retired in March, so I plan to study more and invest actively, while also holding safe assets like government bonds.” Another man in his 60s, who requested anonymity, said he sought advice on how to manage his pension upon maturity in December, noting the importance of securing stable bond investments.

Jang Ki-young, a senior manager at Mirae Asset Securities, said, “With interest rates declining, many investors are grappling with how to protect their assets while ‘upgrading’ financial portfolios in an inflationary environment. For those pursuing stable, directional investments, this is a particularly challenging market.”

While derivatives remain a complex area, some investors took the opportunity to satisfy their curiosity. The Korea Exchange opened a nighttime derivatives trading market in June, allowing futures and options trading from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day, in addition to regular trading hours. A 30-something office worker surnamed Yoon from Seongdong District, Seoul, said, “Derivatives are still unfamiliar, but I learned that I can trade after completing the required education. I want to diversify my trading, so I plan to start gradually with futures.”