Single-person households in Korea shifted financial assets from savings deposits to stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) according to a report published on the 19th by KB Financial Group Management Research Institute. The '2026 Korea Single-Person Household Report' showed savings and deposits' share of single-person household financial asset portfolios decreased to 28.3% from 36.2% in 2024, while domestic and foreign stocks and ETFs increased from 15.0% to 21.1% during the same period. The shift occurred as single-person households moved assets from commercial banks to securities firms, with bank deposit ratios declining from 45.6% to 43.1% and securities firm ratios rising from 22.6% to 28.6%. The report analyzed survey responses from 2,000 economically active single-person households aged 25-59 in major cities nationwide, collected between February 25 and March 23.
Single-Person Households Increased Stocks and ETF Allocations
Savings and deposit product ownership rates declined to 63.9% from 73.8% in 2024, a decrease of 9.9 percentage points. Foreign stock and ETF ownership rates increased from 24.1% to 34.4%, up 10.3 percentage points, while domestic stock and ETF ownership rose from 40.4% to 45.7%, up 5.4 percentage points. Virtual asset allocation expanded from 2.2% to 3.5%.
Intention to subscribe to domestic stocks and ETFs within one year reached 42.1%, an increase of 18.7 percentage points from 2024. Foreign stock and ETF subscription intention rose from 24.8% to 37.8%, up 13.0 percentage points.
Leverage Investment Reached 34% with Average 30 Million Won
Among single-person households with loans, 34.0% reported experience investing in financial products using borrowed funds, an increase of 5.2 percentage points from two years prior. The proportion currently operating financial products with loan funds increased from 11.3% to 15.5%.
The average investment amount using loans was approximately 30 million won. Male participation in leverage investing reached 42.4%, approximately double the female rate of 21.7%. The research institute noted that leverage investment is concentrated among male single-person households rather than being a general phenomenon across all single-person households.
Monthly Rent Delinquency Rate Rose to 10.7%
Monthly rent represented 48.8% of single-person household housing tenure types, followed by owned housing at 23.8%, jeonse (lump-sum deposit rental) at 23.4%, and other at 4.1%. Compared to 2024, jeonse decreased 6.6 percentage points while monthly rent and owned housing increased 3.7 percentage points and 2.0 percentage points respectively.
Among jeonse and monthly rent residents, 10.7% reported experiencing late rent payments, up 2.8 percentage points from 7.9% in 2024. Male delinquency experience rates reached 14.5%, approximately three times the female rate of 4.9%. Male residents in their 50s recorded a monthly rent delinquency experience rate of 25.6%.
Side Income Activity Participation Reached 59.6%
Participation in side income activities, referred to as 'N-job' activities, increased from 42.0% in 2022 to 54.8% in 2024 and 59.6% in the current year. The most common side income activity among N-job participants was 'app-tech' such as app check-ins and point accumulation at 75.1%. Social creators including bloggers accounted for 11.7%, service workers at convenience stores represented 8.0%, and delivery riders comprised 5.5%.
Satisfaction with single-person living increased to 73.5% from 71.2% two years prior. The proportion indicating high intention to continue single-person living was 58.3%, with 61.4% citing 'living alone is comfortable' as the main reason. However, 33.4% of single-person households reported feeling significant loneliness and 32.0% reported significant depression.
FAQ
What percentage of Korean single-person households shifted from savings to stocks according to the KB Financial report?
Savings and deposits' share of single-person household financial portfolios decreased from 36.2% in 2024 to 28.3%, while domestic and foreign stocks and ETFs increased from 15.0% to 21.1% during the same period according to the KB Financial Group Management Research Institute report published on the 19th.
How much do Korean single-person households invest using borrowed funds on average?
Single-person households that use loans for investment reported an average investment amount of approximately 30 million won, with 34.0% of loan-holding households having experience investing borrowed funds in financial products according to the KB Financial report.
