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

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

Hong Kong fiscal surplus reached HKD62.6bn(USD8.0bn) in the first 11 months of its 2025/26 financial year, helped by bond issuance, government data showed, keeping the city on track for its first full-year surplus since 2021/22. Expenditure for April 2025 to February 2026 totalled HKD691.5bn, while revenue reached HKD654.8bn, according to the Information Services Department. After accounting for HKD148.9bn raised from government bonds and HKD49.6bn in bond repayments, fiscal

China VC fundraising is on track for a record first quarter as Beijing channels more state-backed money into technology sectors such as AI, robotics and quantum computing. Newly committed capital to venture funds reached RMB86bn(USD12.5bn) in January and February alone, already above the previous quarterly high of RMB68.9bn set in Q3 2021, according to data from the Asset Management Association of China cited by Reuters. Nearly all of the biggest backers of new yuan-denominat

Thailand private investment stabilises despite concerns that Middle East conflict and baht volatility could hurt the economy, the Fiscal Policy Office said. Capital goods imports, a proxy for private investment in machinery and equipment, jumped 43.7% from a year earlier in February, while exports rose 9.9% to USD29.4bn, extending a 20-month expansion. Excluding oil, gold-related products and military supplies, exports grew 11%, led by electronics, electrical appliances and v

World Data Organization Beijing was formally established after its first general meeting, where members adopted the charter and elected the first council and board of supervisors, according to the preparatory committee. The newly elected council then chose the organisation’s leadership and approved key rules and systems. The World Data Organization Beijing said it aims to promote global data development and governance, support compliant and secure cross-border data use, and h

Hong Kong Singapore financial hubs cooperation can help both cities grow and remain resilient, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said after a three-day visit during which he met Chief Executive John Lee and other public- and private-sector leaders. In a blog post, Wong said Hong Kong felt familiar yet renewed, while Lee said both cities shared a commitment to free trade and multilateralism. The visit came as Singapore moved to strengthen its bullion ecosystem, with the M

Vietnam venture capital funding could gain support from newly created state-backed funds, which industry executives said may help unlock more private capital for startups by giving foreign investors greater confidence in the market. Hanoi has set up a VND600bn(USD22.8m) fund, while Ho Chi Minh City launched a VND500bn vehicle, though executives said the sums remain modest relative to demand and far below the size of some regional funding rounds. ThinkZone Ventures said govern

Vietnam digital asset tax rules now impose a 0.1% personal income tax on every digital asset transaction under the Finance Ministry’s Circular 32/2026, while exempting such transactions from value-added tax. The circular, effective from March 27, also sets a 20% corporate income tax for businesses providing digital asset services in Vietnam, while foreign institutional investors trading through those firms will pay the same 0.1% per transaction. The move comes as Vietnam rema

Hong Kong financial centre ranking held steady at third globally and first in Asia-Pacific in the 39th Global Financial Centres Index, the Financial Services Development Council said, citing Z/Yen Group and the China Development Institute. Hong Kong’s overall score rose to 765, leaving it one point behind London and two points behind New York. The city also retained first place in the fintech index and ranked top globally in banking, insurance and finance. FSDC chairman Benja

Korea social finance model discussions are gaining momentum as policymakers and industry groups explore how cooperative finance can revive struggling local economies. The National Credit Union Federation of Korea said about 300 officials, industry participants and overseas representatives attended an event on social and solidarity finance. Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung said such initiatives need stronger financial and institutional backing to function effectively. Speakers po

Hong Kong eMPF complaints reached about 11,500 as of end-February, with 76% handled by the eMPF Platform Company in an average of 18 working days, Financial Services and the Treasury Secretary Christopher Hui said. He said some employers and Mandatory Provident Fund members encountered difficulties when schemes first migrated to the platform, including delays in payment tagging and in identifying voluntary contributions, which meant records were not updated promptly. Hui said

Vietnam international financial centre plans are prompting domestic lenders to expand into the country’s new hub as they seek to attract foreign capital and build cross-border financial services. Nam A Bank has won shareholder approval to establish a wholly owned subsidiary under the centre’s framework, while Vietcombank and VietinBank are also moving to set up entities there. The centre, launched in Ho Chi Minh City on Feb. 11, is expected to focus on sustainable finance, gr

Bank of Korea governor Shin nomination marks a significant leadership change as policymakers confront inflation risks from the Iran conflict and uneven domestic growth. President Lee Jae Myung nominated South Korean economist Shin Hyun-song, currently head of the economic department at the Bank for International Settlements, to succeed Governor Rhee Chang-yong when his term ends on April 20. Shin is expected to face a parliamentary hearing but the nomination cannot be blocked

China outbound investment quotas QDII expansion is planned as regulators prepare to raise quotas under the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor programme, allowing approved mainland institutions to channel more money into overseas assets. Zhu Hexin, head of China’s top currency regulator, said the move would better meet domestic institutions’ cross-border investment needs and support progress toward capital-account opening. He added that more than 90% of China’s capital-

Singapore MAS policy tightening inflation expectations are rising as economists increasingly expect the Monetary Authority of Singapore to raise its 2026 inflation forecasts and tighten policy in April. Core inflation accelerated to a 14-month high of 1.4% in February, while headline inflation eased to 1.2%, but MAS and the trade ministry warned imported cost pressures could rise as energy prices increase. Several banks, including Maybank, Bank of America and Standard Charter

Southeast Asia conglomerates performance lagged pure-play companies between 2016 and 2025, according to Bain & Company. Conglomerates delivered 4% annual returns, trailing pure plays by five percentage points. Top performers posted 20% returns compared with 28% for focused firms. Bain said challenges include slower growth, leadership succession and weaker advantages in capital and talent. The Southeast Asia conglomerates performance gap underscores the need for strategic rest

Vietnam new businesses 2026 surged as nearly 35,500 enterprises were established in the first two months of the year, signalling a rebound in business formation. New firms registered capital of VND313.7tr(USD12bn) and more than 167,500 workers, with enterprise numbers rising 70.7% year-on-year. However, exits also increased to around 77,000 firms. Authorities said reforms would continue to support SMEs. The Vietnam new businesses 2026 trend reflects both recovery momentum and