UBS hosted the UBS Asia Wealth Forum in Singapore, bringing together more than 2,000 clients, investors and industry leaders, underscoring the growing importance of Asia in global wealth and family office strategies. The UBS Asia Wealth Forum, which concluded on Jan 12, featured speakers including former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, Pershing Square Capital Management founder Bill Ackman, Oaktree Capital co-CEO Armen Panossian and Gavekal CEO Louis-Vincent Gave, the

Rising costs and family disputes are driving an increase in family office closures, advisers say, even as the sector continues to expand in the United States. There were nearly 3,200 single-family offices in 2024 managing USD1.3tr, according to Deloitte estimates, but for some families the overheads are increasingly outweighing the benefits, particularly those with USD250m to USD750m in assets. Advisers point to intense competition for experienced staff pushing up compensatio

Asian household cash holdings remain unusually high, with households often keeping 50% to 55% of net worth in cash and deposits, far above the roughly 15% typical in the United States and Western Europe, business magazine CEO World reported. The conservative approach reflects memories of past crises, uneven social safety nets and limited access to trusted investment products. However, this stance is beginning to ease as incomes rise, capital markets deepen and digital investm

Family office expansion in Asia and the Middle East is accelerating as rising private wealth pushes families to diversify and professionalise investment, governance and operating models, recruiters say. Singapore and Hong Kong are competing aggressively for family office mandates, with Singapore’s single-family offices climbing to about 2,000 by end-2024, according to government data cited by Reuters. In the Gulf, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are attracting established regional famili

Family offices boosted exposure to Singapore assets in 2025 as a weaker US dollar drove currency diversification, Bank of Singapore said. Allocations to Singapore assets through discretionary portfolio management mandates doubled year on year, accelerating from the usual single-digit growth pace. Assets under management in Singapore-focused mandates also expanded faster than the bank’s overall discretionary business, which grew nearly 20% in 2025. The mandates typically inves

A Singapore district judge rejected an application tied to DW Capital, a Singapore-based family office linked to alleged scam kingpin Chen Zhi, to release funds frozen amid a money-laundering probe. Court documents said the Singapore family office sought to release funds for salaries, taxes and future costs. District Judge Kok Shu-en questioned the applicant’s credibility and ruled that preserving the assets best served the interests of justice as investigations into the Sing

Hong Kong family office push momentum is set to continue into 2026 as wealthy Asian families use the city for succession planning and portfolio diversification, Bank of Singapore Hong Kong CEO Rickie Chan said. Chan cited government incentives and stronger markets, noting the OCBC banking unit met its target of 50% growth in assets under management in September 2025, a year ahead of plan. Demand is rising as Asia-Pacific families prepare for an estimated USD3.4tr intergenerat

Family office talent crunch pressures are intensifying despite generous compensation, with nearly eight in 10 family offices struggling to hire staff, according to a survey by AlTi Tiedemann Global and Campden Wealth cited by Niccolò M. Mottola of Marcus Evans Group. Polling 146 offices, the study found 79% faced recruitment difficulties and 54% were concerned about retention, rising to 92% among offices managing more than USD1bn. Average chief investment officer pay was abou

Billionaire family offices permanent capital strategies are reshaping global dealmaking as wealthy families bypass traditional funds to invest directly across sectors including artificial intelligence, deep technology, data centres and healthcare. Deloitte estimates billionaire family offices permanent capital totals about USD5.5tr, up 67% from five years ago, and could exceed USD9tr by 2030, potentially overtaking hedge funds. The number of single-family offices has grown to

Family office crypto allocations increased in 2025 as global family offices expanded exposure to digital assets, with some investing in cryptocurrencies for the first time as market infrastructure, custody services and internal risk frameworks matured, advisers said. Family office crypto allocations were typically modest, but the shift marked a move away from experimental trades toward structured mandates covering bitcoin, ethereum and managed digital-asset funds, and in some

Family office dealmaking 2025 slowed sharply in the first half as economic and geopolitical uncertainty weighed on risk appetite, PwC said in its Global Family Office Deals Study 2025. The report tracked more than 20,000 entities and found deal activity fell to about 7,199 transactions worth USD439.6bn, the lowest volume in a decade, after a brief rebound in late 2024. Exits declined in number, though proceeds rose for a second straight half-year, signalling selective cashing

Hong Kong family office tax reforms are expected to spur new fund launches and attract additional single-family offices once legislation takes effect next year, analysts said. Single-family offices are projected to rise from about 2,900 this year to as many as 3,500 by 2028. The government is widening eligible vehicles for incentives, including pension and endowment funds, and removing rules that treated bond interest as incidental income that could jeopardise exemptions. Ken

Singapore SFO tax incentive reforms are likely to move ahead as the Monetary Authority of Singapore seeks to keep the city competitive as a global wealth hub despite heightened scrutiny, industry observers said. Singapore has strengthened its reputation through swift and transparent handling of a SGD3bn (USD2.2bn) money-laundering case in 2023 and scrutiny linked to Cambodia’s Prince Group, reinforcing confidence in governance standards. MAS has proposed streamlining document

Taiwan family office services are expanding after Uni-President Asset Management became the first local manager licensed to provide investment, succession and financial planning to family offices and wealthy clients. The licence, granted by the Financial Supervisory Commission on Dec 23, forms part of a strategy to more than double Taiwan’s asset-management industry to NTD60tr (USD1.9tr) by 2030. Uni-President said tax planning and wealth sustainability have become priorities

Singapore family office private equity activity is in focus after Far East Capital, the family office of Far East Organization, acquired preference shares in oat-milk maker Oatside in a late-November secondary transaction, according to people familiar with the deal. The stake was bought from early backer Mugi Capital, which has supported Oatside since 2021 and has transferred more than half its holdings to existing shareholders. Based on DealStreetAsia’s August 2025 valuation

Hong Kong insolvency surge 2025 risks are expected to intensify, with the city forecast to post the world’s largest year-on-year increase in business failures, rising 44%, according to an Allianz Trade outlook. The report said elevated insolvency levels remain widespread, with its headline indicator showing global insolvencies up 6% year to date in the third quarter of 2025. Around two-thirds of countries, representing about 70% of global GDP, are expected to see failures ris

Taiwan wealth management hub ambitions are advancing faster than planned, with assets under management rising by more than TWD4tr (USD127bn) to meet a two-year target ahead of schedule, Financial Supervisory Commission chairman Peng Jin-lung said. Speaking at a forum in Taipei, Peng said Taiwan now has the capital base, industrial depth and talent pool to support a six-year roadmap aimed at building a regional wealth and asset-management centre that complements, rather than c

Family offices private markets 2026 strategies are set to tilt further toward private markets and overseas assets, while next-generation leaders push for greater technology adoption, tighter risk controls and improved transparency, according to a Crain Currency report. People familiar with the discussions said family offices private markets 2026 allocations will remain active in public equities but become more selective in private credit and direct deals, favouring stronger u

China shadow banking scandal concerns have escalated after police in Zhejiang detained Yu Faxiang, chairman and chief executive of Hong Kong-listed Haichang Ocean Park Holdings, as authorities probe alleged wrongdoing tied to delayed repayments on multibillion-yuan wealth management products issued by Sunriver Holding Group, a firm he controls. Haichang said it was informed by Yu’s family that police had imposed criminal compulsory measures and opened an investigation, adding

Asia family offices 2026 are set to become a major growth engine as expanding regional wealth drives higher allocations to private markets, according to a new outlook report. The report said private equity, venture capital and real assets are expected to remain core holdings, while Asia family offices 2026 will place greater emphasis on governance, risk management and reporting amid tougher market conditions and rising regulatory scrutiny. The United Arab Emirates is forecast