South Korea Indonesia cross-border QR payments are set to launch in April 2026, enabling visitors to pay at merchants in either country using domestic QR apps, Bank Indonesia said. The Indonesian central bank and the Bank of Korea reviewed progress on the interlinkage and agreed to keep working closely as they move toward launch. Talks began in 2023 and led to a memorandum of understanding signed in July 2024, with the service operating alongside the Local Currency Transactio

Vietnam business formation January data showed a surge in activity as nearly 24,200 new firms were registered and more than 24,500 businesses resumed operations, signalling improving confidence as the economy recovers, official data showed. Total registered capital for new firms rose to VND180.9tr (USD7.1tr), while registered employment increased to about 108,200, the National Statistics Office said. However, average capital per newly formed company fell to VND7.5bn, and addi

China APEC trade growth accelerated during the 2021–2025 period, with total trade reaching RMB125.49tr (USD18.05tr), up 39.4% from the previous five years, official data showed. Trade in 2025 alone reached RMB26.29tr, accounting for nearly 60% of China’s total foreign trade, according to the first plenary meeting of the 2026 APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures held in Guangzhou. Zhao Zenglian, a deputy head of China’s General Administration of Customs, said the Asia-Paci

Asian middle-class financial anxiety is widespread, with more than 70% of consumers worried about their overall financial wellbeing, according to a survey by insurer FWD Group conducted with Ipsos. The pan-Asian poll of more than 9,000 consumers aged 21 to 65 across 10 markets found 71% were concerned about overall financial wellbeing and rising everyday living costs, 43% about high healthcare expenses, and 37% about unexpected job loss or income drops. Reflecting a shorter p

Singapore digital payments growth is projected to lift transaction volumes to USD113.7bn by 2030, up from USD39.4bn in 2023, as the city leads Southeast Asia in adoption and funding and younger consumers accelerate the shift to cashless transactions, according to a report by the Singapore FinTech Association and PwC. The report said Singapore’s payments sector raised more than USD319m in the first nine months of 2025, exceeding the combined funding of several regional peers.

Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone plans were reaffirmed by Malaysia and Singapore as a central pillar of bilateral economic ties, with both sides saying the initiative is shifting from planning to implementation to attract high-value investments and create jobs. The recommitment followed talks in Kuala Lumpur between Malaysia’s Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir and Singapore’s National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat. Malaysia is finalising an investment blue

Hong Kong GDP growth forecast has been raised by Citi to 3.2% for 2026, the bank’s second upgrade in about two weeks and a cumulative increase of 0.7 percentage points. Citi said the economy kept recovering in the fourth quarter, with strong investment growth and steadily improving consumption pushing domestic demand beyond expectations. It added the rebound is broad-based across finance, property and retail. Citi expects residential home prices to rise 8% this year and sees

Japanese investment in Thailand is set to continue as companies plan to keep investing despite labour shortages and high costs, according to a survey cited by Thailand’s Board of Investment. Of 520 firms surveyed, 23% said they aim to expand operations as they expect the economy to improve in the first half of 2026, while 35% expect exports to rise and 26% plan to establish regional offices. BoI secretary-general Narit Therdsteerasukdi said Thailand remains Japan’s key long-t

Jeonbuk financial hub ambitions are gaining momentum as major Korean lenders move to build asset management and capital markets operations in the province. KB Financial Group said it will develop a KB Finance Town in Jeonbuk Innovation City, bringing together banking, securities, insurance and asset management with about 250 staff. Shinhan Financial Group followed by naming Jeonbuk as its base for asset management and capital markets, targeting 300 professionals. The province

Da Nang IFC plans are emerging as a catalyst for the city’s property and investment recovery, alongside major port and infrastructure projects, market watchers said. The proposed International Financial Centre aims to attract financial institutions and pilot digital asset models, with a first-phase 27,000-sq-m office tower planned. In parallel, Da Nang is advancing a 1,881-hectare free trade zone linked to Lien Chieu Port and the Hi-Tech Park, which analysts say could boost d

Hong Kong private equity hub prospects remain strong as the city positions itself to lead Asia’s private markets, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said. Chan said Hong Kong hosts more than 650 private equity firms with assets under management of about USD230bn, supported by deep liquidity in asset and wealth management, a rapidly expanding family office ecosystem and strong capital inflows. He highlighted opportunities in hard technology including artificial intelligence,

Hong Kong Asia-Africa investment corridor ambitions are gaining momentum, with the city well placed to link Asian capital with African infrastructure projects, according to a report by the Financial Services Development Council. The FSDC said Hong Kong can serve as a premier gateway connecting long-term capital from institutional investors and family offices with projects across Belt and Road Initiative economies in Africa. It highlighted opportunities for Hong Kong to export

Hong Kong Asian Financial Forum concluded after drawing more than 4,000 global leaders from over 60 countries and regions, reinforcing the city’s role as an international financial hub. The two-day Asian Financial Forum, co-hosted by the HKSAR government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, featured more than 150 speakers and launched an inaugural Global Business Summit. Former European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso warned of instability from technological

AI-for-finance hubs are increasingly defined by production-grade deployment rather than experimentation, according to Deep Knowledge Group’s Global AI Competitiveness Index. The report ranked the United States first among countries, followed by China, Britain, Switzerland and Singapore for AI-for-finance capability and maturity. In the city-hub ranking, New York placed first, London second and Hong Kong third, citing connectivity, institutional concentration and regulated-mar

The Asian Financial Forum opened in Hong Kong as global policymakers and finance executives gathered to discuss the global outlook and reinforce the city’s position as an international financial centre and a bridge between mainland China and global markets. The 19th Asian Financial Forum, co-organised by the Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, is being held under the theme “Co-creating New Horizons amid an Evolving Landscape” with the tagline “Fi

Thailand fund assets rose in 2025 as investors turned to safe havens, with strong performance in gold-related funds lifting the market. Thailand fund assets increased 1.67% to THB3.65tr (USD117bn) at end-2025, according to Morningstar Direct data shared with Asia Asset Management. Four Singapore-based Eastspring Investments funds, all gold-focused, topped performance rankings, led by the Eastspring Gold Bullion Retirement Mutual Fund – Currency Hedged, which returned 59.07%,

Hong Kong Asia Financial Forum took centre stage as Chief Executive John Lee opened the two-day event by urging confidence despite heightened geopolitical tensions, positioning the city as a resilient international finance hub. Speaking at the Asia Financial Forum, Lee said “one country, two systems” underpins Hong Kong’s rule of law, free flow of capital and low-tax regime. He pointed to rising business activity, including a record 11,070 foreign- and Mainland-affiliated com

An IMAS survey of Singapore fund managers suggests the industry is entering 2026 expecting persistent volatility, while looking for selective opportunities in Asia as rate cuts and wider adoption of artificial intelligence reshape portfolio construction. The Investment Management Association of Singapore said about 69% of respondents expect the U.S. Federal Reserve to cut rates by more than 0.5 percentage point by year-end, while 60% worry political pressure could increasingl

South Korea 2025 growth slowed to 1.0%, the weakest pace since 2020, supported by solid exports but weighed down by a sharp fall in construction investment, preliminary Bank of Korea data showed. The economy unexpectedly contracted 0.3% quarter-on-quarter in October–December, its first contraction in six months and the weakest since late 2022, missing the central bank’s prior forecast for a small expansion. Construction investment fell 3.9% from the prior quarter, while expor

China national M&A fund planning is under study as authorities seek to sharpen the strategic direction of government-backed investment vehicles, the state planner said. Wang Changlin, a vice head of the National Development and Reform Commission, said the proposed national mergers and acquisitions fund would support innovation and entrepreneurship and accelerate the development of so-called new quality productive forces. He added that building a modern industrial system requi