Nextrade has approved membership applications from Goldman Sachs Securities’ Seoul branch and CLSA Korea Securities, bringing the South Korean alternative trading system’s membership to 38 firms. The two brokerages plan to begin trading after completing system construction and related procedures within the year. Five foreign brokerages are now members, alongside Macquarie Securities, Morgan Stanley Securities and Merrill Lynch Securities. Foreign investors’ share of Nextrade trading value rose to 14.0% last month from 0.4% in March last year, while institutional investors’ share increased to 4.0% from 1.1%. Retail investors’ share declined to 82.0% from 98.5%, indicating a more diversified investor base. Nextrade CEO Kim Hak-soo said the additions marked the start of broader global securities-firm participation and could improve trading conditions for foreign investors in South Korean stocks.