Asia family office succession risks are rising as wealthy families become more mobile, with heirs studying, working and inheriting assets across multiple jurisdictions. Data from Hurun Report show 23% of Chinese high-net-worth families already have children studying abroad at high school level, while 46% have children overseas for higher education, with 74% planning to do so. Henley Wealth Report estimates 142,000 millionaires relocated globally in 2025, rising to 165,000 in

East Asia growth outlook World Bank projections show regional growth slowing to 4.2% in 2026 from 5% in 2025 as Middle East conflict, higher energy prices and trade disruption weigh on the region. Growth is expected to edge up to 4.4% in 2027. China’s economy is forecast to expand 4.2% in 2026 and 4.3% in 2027. The World Bank said weak domestic demand, China’s property downturn and softer exports remain key drags. The East Asia growth outlook World Bank also highlights that n

Hong Kong AI adoption banking is accelerating as major financial institutions deepen deployment of artificial intelligence across operations. Manulife has moved its Asia chief AI officer to Hong Kong and created a new AI leadership role, while HSBC appointed its first chief AI officer and now reports over 100 generative AI use cases, with 85% of staff using AI tools. Industry executives said Hong Kong AI adoption banking is focused on customer service, underwriting, claims pr

ASEAN financial cooperation 2026 discussions are advancing as finance ministers and central bank governors explore ways to strengthen regional resilience at the 13th ASEAN Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting. Talks cover infrastructure finance, taxation, customs integration and climate finance, alongside progress on the ASEAN Single Window and Customs Transit System. Philippine Deputy Finance Minister Joven Balbosa said ASEAN financial cooperation 2026 must

Family offices March dealmaking slowed as ultra-wealthy investors pulled back on direct transactions during a month marked by market volatility linked to the Iran conflict, according to Fintrx data. Family offices made 39 direct investments in companies during March, down 25% from February after adjusting for the difference in month length. Even so, deal sizes increased, with a quarter of those transactions qualifying as mega-rounds of more than USD100m. Bezos Expeditions co-

External asset managers Singapore are gaining traction as wealthy clients seek more customised and transparent advice, according to research by Bank of Singapore. More than half of managers surveyed are expanding into new markets and partnerships, while nearly two-thirds said improving client experience was a priority. Demand is shifting towards fixed income as investors adopt a more defensive stance, alongside growing interest in alternatives and ETFs. Industry executives, i

South Korea crypto acquisitions are gathering pace as securities firms pursue purchases and stake investments in cryptocurrency operators while tokenised securities legislation remains delayed. Korea Investment & Securities is reviewing a potential acquisition of Coinone, while Mirae Asset Securities raised its stake in Korbit to 92% in February, securing management control. The shift highlights brokerages’ efforts to find new revenue streams as growth in traditional business

Thailand CEO confidence PwC survey findings show sentiment has fallen to its weakest level in three years, with only 24% of chief executives expressing strong confidence in revenue growth this year, down from 47% in 2023. PwC Thailand said business confidence was weighed down by economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, rising costs, cyber risks and rapid technological change. Only 34% of Thai CEOs expect the domestic economy to improve this year, below the 55% global aver

Family offices Asia recycling fund backing helped Circulate Capital secure a USD220m first close for Circulate Capital Asia II, giving the Singapore-based investment manager more than 70% of its USD300m target for a vehicle focused on scaling circular supply chains and recycling businesses across South and Southeast Asia. Backers include Builders Vision, Stella, Clotho Family Office, Wire Group and Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco. The first close exceeds Circulate Capita

Taiwan China exposure reduction deepened in February as Taiwanese financial institutions’ aggregate exposure to China fell 13.44% year-on-year to NTD781.26bn(USD24.44bn), according to Financial Supervisory Commission data. The ratio of China exposure to combined net worth declined to 14.7% from 18% a year earlier. Banks accounted for the largest drop, with exposure down 13% to NTD723.68bn, reflecting concern over China’s slowing economy, local government debt and property mar

Danantara asset manager acquisition plans are moving ahead as Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund agreed to buy controlling stakes in four affiliated fund managers for about IDR2.7tr(USD159m). Through PT Danantara Asset Management, the fund signed deals on April 1 to acquire BRI Manajemen Investasi, Mandiri Manajemen Investasi, BNI Asset Management and PNM Investment Management, according to stock exchange disclosures. The transactions would give Danantara majority or near-full

Hong Kong MPF monthly loss is set to exceed HKD100bn(USD12.8bn) for March, the worst monthly decline in dollar terms since the retirement scheme was launched 25 years ago, as global market turmoil linked to the Middle East conflict hit pension assets. MPF Ratings estimated that the city’s 378 MPF funds lost HKD103.3bn in the first three weeks of March, or 6.33%, with each of the scheme’s 4.8 million members losing an average of HKD21,542. The pension regulator urged members t

Indonesia QRIS payment network has officially expanded to South Korea after Bank Indonesia and the Bank of Korea launched a cross-border QRIS payment link under a local currency settlement framework. The linkage allows users to make retail payments directly between the rupiah and South Korean won, reducing reliance on the US dollar. Bank Indonesia said inbound QRIS transactions had reached 5.9 million and outbound transactions 1.7 million as of early April. Officials said the

Taishin Securities merger Taiwan will create the island’s fourth-largest brokerage by market share after the company completes its merger with MasterLink Securities, according to Financial Supervisory Commission data. The combined brokerage’s market share is expected to rise to 5.13% from 2.19%, lifting Taishin’s ranking from 16th to fourth. Taishin Securities will remain the surviving entity and the MasterLink brand will be discontinued. Parent TS Financial Holding said the

Vietnam growth outlook remains the strongest in the ASEAN+3 region, with the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office forecasting GDP growth of 7.4% in 2026 and 7.1% in 2027, after an estimated 8% in 2025. Inflation is projected at 3.8% in 2026 and 3.4% in 2027. AMRO said the Vietnam growth outlook is underpinned by strong domestic demand, stable inflation, robust exports, solid foreign investment inflows and strength in high-tech manufacturing and electronics. Across ASEAN+3, g

Digital yuan programme China expansion accelerated after the People’s Bank of China added 12 new banks to the roster of institutions authorised to handle the state-backed currency, taking the total number of operators to 22. Newly approved banks include China CITIC Bank, China Everbright Bank, China Guangfa Bank and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. The central bank said the move is intended to improve the inclusiveness of digital yuan services and meet demand for safer and m

Blue Pool Capital private equity fund activity has entered a new phase as the Hong Kong-based multi-family office and investment firm co-founded by Alibaba billionaire Joe Tsai raised USD1bn for its first private equity fund, Riverside Fund, marking an expansion beyond multi-strategy investing. The firm was founded by Tsai and former Alibaba executives and is led by CEO Oliver Weisberg, a former Goldman Sachs banker and former Citadel partner in Hong Kong. Weisberg previously

Full Vision EnerVenue investment has led a USD300m Series B+ preferred stock financing round in US energy storage firm EnerVenue Holding, backing the battery maker it originally incubated as it expands manufacturing and commercial operations. The investment brings California-based EnerVenue’s total funding to USD445m. The company develops aqueous metal cell batteries for long-duration grid storage, a technology adapted from aerospace applications. Proceeds will support resear

Thailand cost of living policy is leaning on its biggest family-controlled conglomerates to help curb living costs, with retailers tied to the Chearavanont, Chirathivat and Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi families agreeing to sell house-brand food, toiletries and other essentials at discounts of 25% to 50% under a government-backed Thais Helping Thais campaign. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul launched the programme as his new administration seeks to shield households from risin

APAC digital wallets payments remain dominant globally, with digital wallets accounting for 77% of online spend worth USD2.7tr and 63% of in-person transactions worth USD6.3tr in 2025, according to a report by Global Payments. Adoption is broad-based, led by India and South Korea, while Southeast Asia is seeing rapid growth in account-to-account payments supported by national systems such as PromptPay and PayNow. Thailand has emerged as a leading A2A market, while Singapore r