From Seoul to the U.S.: The Global Reach of Core16’s Strategy

When Core16 was founded in Seoul, it began with a simple but radical idea: that investment decisions should be grounded in logic, not emotion.

In a market often driven by sentiment and short-term narratives, Core16’s founders saw an opportunity to build something different - a quantitative ecosystem and modern algorithm that can be used to measure what really matters: performance patterns, market/company behavioral signals, and repeatable market logic.

The Origin & Vision

Core16’s Best-of-Breed methodology was born from this conviction. Rather than chasing themes or trends, the firm sought to identify companies that consistently exhibit strong, data-based signals through changing market cycles. Over years of research and refinement, that approach evolved into a scalable global framework - one capable of reading market structures, adapting in real time, and transcending geographic boundaries. For Core16, the goal has always been to prove that disciplined, quantitative logic can outperform traditional narratives anywhere in the world.

The Global Expansion Journey

Taking this philosophy beyond Korea was never a question of if - only how. The leap to the United States represented a bold step: the world’s largest and most competitive ETF market, where transparency and regulatory precision are non-negotiable.

That’s where Exchange Traded Concepts (ETC) came in. Partnering with ETC allowed Core16 to bring its quantitative expertise to a platform built for the U.S. market’s scale and rigor. ETC handled the operational and compliance framework, freeing Core16 to focus on what it does best, building and refining its quantitative framework. The partnership turned a potentially complex transition into a streamlined collaboration, transforming Core16’s vision into a global reality.

The Birth of BOBP

The launch of the Core16 Best of Breed Premier Index ETF (BOBP) was a natural extension of the firm’s philosophy - a systematic, adaptive, and data-driven portfolio that doesn’t rely on themes or sectors. They wanted to introduce a product that truly represents how a modern algorithm can read market structure and respond in real time. BOBP is more than an ETF; it’s a statement on how modern data science can be used to read markets.

In a world where passive funds mirror benchmarks and active funds depend on human judgment, the index behind BOBP seeks to bridge that space. It’s rule-based, like an index, but responsive - capable of shifting its positioning as quantitative signals change. The result is a living, data-driven portfolio that embodies Core16’s belief that smart algorithms may bridge the gap between passive consistency and active intelligence.

Leadership & Philosophy

At the center of this journey is David Cho, CFA, Core16’s founder and CEO. With decades of experience spanning quantitative research, asset management, and market strategy, Cho built Core16 on the principle of logic, not prediction. His background in both academic research and finance shaped a firm that values adaptability, objectivity and evidence-based results over narrative or speculation - qualities that have guided every decision, from index construction to global expansion.

Where Logic Leads Next

Core16’s journey is only beginning. Core16’s next phase focuses on deepening their U.S. presence while expanding their quantitative ecosystem. Beyond BOBP, they plan to roll out additional indices and data-driven products under the Best-of-Breed framework, applying that methodology to new asset classes and regional universes. Its mission remains unchanged: to make algorithmic investing accessible to all investors, empowering both institutions and individual investors with transparent, data-driven tools that seek to capture market intelligence with precision and transparency.

From Seoul to New York, Core16’s story is proof that disciplined logic knows no borders and that the future of investing belongs to those who can translate data into clarity.

To learn more about Core16’s Best-of-Breed philosophy and how it’s applied within BOBP click here.