Launch of 'Smart Bond' Discretionary Investment Service on 'DWM' Securities Platform

Smartplus, Inc., a member of the Finatext Group that provides financial infrastructure for the AI era, will launch 'Smart Bond,' a discretionary investment service targeting USD-denominated foreign bonds, on its securities trading platform 'Digital Wealth Manager (DWM)' on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. This service packages multiple physical bonds selected from approximately 5,500 US-listed companies using Smartplus's proprietary logic, allowing for discretionary investment starting from $500. By leveraging financial product intermediaries using DWM, the service makes foreign bond investment—previously limited to the wealthy due to high minimum investment amounts and complex selection processes—accessible to a broader range of individual investors.

Against the backdrop of the new NISA system introduced in 2024, interest in asset management among individual investors has surged. In particular, USD-denominated foreign bonds are seeing growing demand as an asset class that offers stable cash flow and fixed yields, presenting significant proposal opportunities for financial intermediaries. However, structural challenges such as high minimum investment thresholds, the need for specialized knowledge in bond selection, and difficulties in reinvesting coupons have historically hindered access. Smartplus developed 'Smart Bond' to address these issues.

'Smart Bond' is offered as a dedicated bond brand. Key features include the automation of advanced bond selection processes, the lowering of minimum investment amounts through packaging, and flexible design for coupon and redemption payments. This enables financial intermediaries to expand their client base and offer sophisticated bond investment strategies, while individual investors can benefit from professional bond management starting with small amounts.