Tighter offshore trust rules in China are creating uncertainty over Singapore’s appeal to wealthy Chinese families, as Beijing increases scrutiny of offshore trusts and overseas investments following the city-state’s own anti-money-laundering crackdown. Wealth advisers said enquiries from Chinese clients seeking to establish trusts and family offices had slowed, with some plans paused while investors assessed the tax changes. Singapore had more than 2,000 single-family office

Family offices in Asia are expanding beyond property, listed equities and direct business holdings into private equity, infrastructure and alternative investments, as younger generations seek greater diversification and flexibility, EQT executive Sueann Yeo said. Secondaries have become a core portfolio tool, providing diversified private market exposure and distinct cash-flow profiles, while evergreen structures are attracting interest for their greater liquidity flexibility

Changes to Hong Kong’s retail fund rules will give managers greater flexibility while strengthening investor safeguards, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) said. Enhancements to the Code on Unit Trusts and Mutual Funds are due in November to improve the competitiveness of the city’s retail fund market. They include a Value-at-Risk approach to managing derivative exposure, enabling broader investment strategies and product offerings. The SFC will also streamline requi

A planned stock market overhaul in Vietnam will transfer all stocks listed on the Hanoi Stock Exchange to the Hochiminh Stock Exchange by the end of 2026, the State Securities Commission (SSC) said. SSC vice chairman Hoang Van Thu said technical testing between the exchanges and the Vietnam Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation was progressing as planned. The transfer date will depend on impact assessments and test results. The regulator is also studying a classifica

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates and chairman of the Dalio Family Office, highlighted the importance of family office AI adoption, urging investors and advisers to embrace artificial intelligence to remain competitive as it reshapes investment decision-making. Speaking at the WMI Global-Asia Family Office Summit, Dalio said AI could support research, the definition of decision criteria, back-testing, portfolio construction and execution. Investors should challenge

Family offices in Malaysia are emerging as a potential growth area as wealthy individuals and business owners seek more sophisticated structures to manage and deploy capital, contributing to Southeast Asia’s expanding private markets, according to industry executives. These offices are increasingly looking beyond traditional assets towards private equity, venture capital, infrastructure and direct investments, mirroring developments in Singapore and Hong Kong. Supportive gove

New MAS AI risk guidelines set supervisory expectations for Singapore’s financial institutions, with implementation beginning in October 2027. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said the guidelines cover all financial institutions and AI technologies through a principles-based, risk-proportionate approach. They address four areas: board and senior management oversight, management of AI risks throughout the technology life cycle, risks associated with third-party AI ser

South Korean retail investors have lost an estimated KRW2.3tr (USD1.7bn) through leveraged ETFs and other single-stock exchange-traded products linked to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, Financial Supervisory Service data showed. The cumulative losses were recorded across 10 major brokerages, including Mirae Asset Securities, Kiwoom Securities, Samsung Securities and NH Investment & Securities, between 27 May and 14 August, according to data released by opposition lawmaker C

Asia-Pacific family office returns are outperforming global peers, with more than a quarter reporting portfolio gains above 15% through mid-2026, according to Citi Wealth’s annual survey. The research covered 351 family offices across 41 countries and found around 22% of Asia-Pacific respondents targeted annual returns above 15%, nearly twice the global proportion. Direct investing is particularly prominent in the region, with 79% of respondents participating in direct invest

The Chubb Wealth investment outlook is encouraging investors to reduce reliance on cash and diversify towards bonds, artificial intelligence-related assets and alternatives as uneven global economic conditions create differing opportunities across markets. In its fourth-quarter 2026 outlook, the Hong Kong-based wealth manager said elevated starting yields make fixed income attractive for income generation. It favours high-yield debt, Asian bonds and US dollar-denominated emer

Singapore investment banking fees increased 9% to USD693.8m during the first nine months of 2026, reaching their highest level for the period since 2021 as stronger mergers and acquisitions activity boosted advisory revenues. Singapore generated 69.3% of Southeast Asia’s investment banking fee pool, according to LSEG Deals Intelligence. M&A advisory fees increased 23.7% to USD256m, while equity capital markets underwriting revenue rose 11.5% to USD159.8m. Syndicated lending f

APAC banks digital services are becoming increasingly important to customer retention as consumers demand more personalised financial advice and AI-enabled banking capabilities, according to research by Temenos and Celent. The study found 72% of Asia-Pacific consumers were only moderately satisfied or less satisfied with their primary financial institution. Better online and mobile banking would persuade 43% of APAC consumers to switch institutions, while 58% want more financ

Singapore next-generation wealth hub credentials have been strengthened after the city-state ranked first in Asia-Pacific and sixth globally in Savills’ Next Generation Wealth Hubs Index. The index assesses more than 100 wealth centres across business, governance and connectivity, wealth management and taxation, wealth clusters and lifestyle. Singapore led six Asia-Pacific cities that placed among the global top 30. Savills said investment patterns among wealthy people under

Hong Kong fundraising reached a record USD47.5bn during the third quarter as the artificial intelligence boom encouraged Chinese companies to raise larger amounts and return more frequently to equity markets, Bloomberg data showed. Share sales pushed Hong Kong’s 2026 total above USD92bn, bringing the market within reach of the USD112.5bn annual record established in 2021. Alibaba’s USD10.2bn follow-on offering was the quarter’s largest transaction, while optical-networking eq

Singapore private bank account opening times are shortening, with nearly half of new accounts opened between June and August completed within one month, according to the Association of Banks in Singapore. The improvement comes as the Private Banking Industry Group targets a median account-opening time of one month by the end of 2026. The Monetary Authority of Singapore and the industry group established a working group in 2025 to tackle onboarding delays, which can extend fro

Malaysia SME borrowing is increasingly shifting towards short-term loans as smaller companies face shrinking cash buffers, higher operating expenses and greater working-capital requirements, according to Bank Negara Malaysia data. Short-term facilities accounted for a growing proportion of new SME borrowing as companies sought financing to bridge cash-flow gaps rather than fund longer-term expansion. The trend provides an important indicator of financial pressures within Mala

SEI Singapore asset management operations have launched as the US asset management technology company seeks to expand its services and investment products across Asia-Pacific. The new Singapore office will initially provide asset servicing, professional services and distribution of SEI’s UCITS funds. The company expects to add locally relevant products and broaden its enterprise asset management, technology, operations and professional services as regional demand develops. SE

Hong Kong and Malaysia dual listings will become simpler under a new regulatory framework designed to reduce duplication and compliance costs for companies seeking simultaneous access to both equity markets. The Securities and Futures Commission, Securities Commission Malaysia and Hong Kong’s stock exchange have introduced streamlined procedures covering companies pursuing a primary listing on either Hong Kong’s Main Board or Bursa Malaysia’s MAIN Market alongside a simultane

North American family offices are raising investment expectations following strong 2025 performance while simultaneously preparing for generational wealth transfers, new wealth creation and rapid technology adoption, according to RBC and Campden Wealth. Their 2026 report, based on 155 family offices, found 84% expect direct private equity to match or outperform its 2025 performance. Artificial intelligence is another major focus, with 85% identifying AI as a leading investmen

Hong Kong AI financial planning is becoming increasingly accepted by banking customers, although users continue to demand human oversight and strong protection of personal information, according to the Hong Kong Institute of Bankers. An HKIB survey of 400 people found more than 60% use AI daily or weekly, while half have already used artificial intelligence tools for financial planning. However, customers continue to place importance on human involvement. About 48% said acces