ASEAN next-generation wealth clients are increasingly choosing financial institutions independently of their parents, creating a challenge for private banks seeking to retain assets through intergenerational wealth transfers. A WealthSummit study of 1,049 clients across Southeast Asia found that 71% had their main banking relationship with a different institution from their parents. Some 68% maintained relationships with at least three banks, reflecting demand for investment

Bank of Singapore donor-advised funds are being offered through a new philanthropic platform designed to give wealthy families greater flexibility over how assets supporting charitable giving are invested. The OCBC private banking arm’s Legacy of Giving platform allows clients to shape the investment approach applied to their philanthropic capital, potentially increasing the assets available for future charitable grants. The model differs from many donor-advised fund arrangem

EMEA family offices China investment plans are strengthening, with China emerging as the leading market where ultra-wealthy families in Europe, the Middle East and Africa intend to increase exposure, according to Citi. Citi’s 2026 Global Family Office Report found that 29% of EMEA respondents planned to increase investments in China. The rest of Asia-Pacific followed at 26%, with North America at 25%. The report surveyed 351 family offices across more than 40 countries. Conce

Singapore listed company disclosure rules will become more demanding from Jan. 1, 2027, as regulators seek greater transparency over executive remuneration, dividends and shareholder engagement. Under changes announced by Singapore Exchange Regulation, companies will have to explain the financial and non-financial indicators used to determine executive pay and how those measures support long-term value creation. Annual reports will also have to include dividend and investor-r

Hong Kong family business succession services are becoming a greater focus as the city seeks a larger role in Asia’s generational transfer of family wealth and cross-border assets. Financial Services Undersecretary Joseph Chan said Hong Kong’s legal system, capital mobility, low-tax regime and links with mainland China provide a strong base for wealthy families managing global portfolios. At a South China Morning Post conference, speakers said younger family members are incre

Deutsche Bank Hong Kong wealth business is recording strong growth as increasing Chinese client activity makes the city the private bank’s best-performing emerging-market region this year. Marco Pagliara, head of emerging markets at Deutsche Bank Private Bank, said activity had increased across trading, lending against physical assets and real estate. Chinese clients have been particularly active in trophy property transactions, reflecting broader demand for investment and fi

Hong Kong economic growth could exceed 3% annually over the medium term if the city successfully strengthens its “super-connector” role under China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, according to Citi Research. Citi said the framework could reduce policy uncertainty and channel capital towards finance, trade, innovation and technology, with the Northern Metropolis providing an important platform for advanced industries. Rapid expansion of Hong Kong’s offshore yuan business was identified

The Taiwan asset management centre initiative is moving forward as the government seeks to attract international capital while directing more domestic wealth towards local industries. President Lai Ching-te said Taiwan would continue easing financial regulations to give institutions greater scope to develop asset management operations and strengthen cross-border financial services. The initiative builds on a pilot asset management zone in Kaohsiung and includes areas such as

Institutional investor cash allocations are rising sharply as asset owners respond to geopolitical uncertainty, inflation and changing expectations for global equity markets. A Marsh Investments survey of 430 asset owners managing a combined USD5.76tr found that 37.8% planned to increase cash allocations over the next 12 months, compared with just 9% in the previous year’s survey. Net intentions towards cash increased by 35.5 percentage points to 22%, the largest annual rise

Private equity manager selection remains critical for investors as wide differences in returns persist between the strongest and weakest-performing funds, according to research from private-markets platform Moonfare. The annual return gap between top- and bottom-quartile private equity managers averaged 19.2 percentage points between 2016 and 2026, compared with just 2.9 percentage points for large-cap equities. Past performance also provided limited certainty about future re

Asia-Pacific family office hospitality investment is gaining momentum as private investors increase their exposure to real estate and seek opportunities across regional hotel markets. Hospitality has emerged as the leading real estate asset class for family office capital in Asia-Pacific, according to information released ahead of IHIF Asia in Hong Kong. Knight Frank’s Wealth Report 2025 found that 44% of 150 family offices surveyed planned to increase their real estate expos

Hong Kong climate finance disclosures could become more extensive as the city’s financial regulator expands its framework for funding projects designed to reduce emissions and protect against climate risks. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority plans to survey banks in 2027 on their use of its sustainable finance taxonomy, with the findings potentially influencing future supervisory requirements, HKMA executive director Donald Chen said. The regulator earlier this month proposed e

Hong Kong overseas listings are set for a stronger promotional push as authorities seek more dual-primary and secondary listings from Southeast Asia and Belt and Road economies. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in his Policy Address that the city would step up efforts to attract overseas companies to its capital markets. The Securities and Futures Commission is expected to consult in 2027 on streamlining prospectus disclosure requirements to make it easier for overseas c

Hong Kong family office initiatives outlined in the city’s inaugural Five-Year Plan and 2026 Policy Address could strengthen its position as a global cross-border wealth management centre, according to Raffles Family Office. Group CEO Chi Man Kwan said preferential tax regimes for funds and single-family offices, combined with measures to attract global capital, would deepen the ecosystem supporting independent multi-family offices. Kwan also highlighted plans to broaden inve

Hong Kong private equity control deals are becoming increasingly important as managers pursue buyouts and controlling stakes amid slower exits across Asian private markets. Private equity investors participated in USD165.5bn of buyout transactions in 2026, around double the USD80.8bn invested in growth deals, according to PitchBook data. Hong Kong-based funds raised USD135.6bn across three buyout vehicles, including EQT’s BPEA Private Equity Fund IX, which accounted for USD12

The China wealth transfer market is entering a new phase as regulators and local authorities encourage development of family trusts and family offices to support intergenerational succession. An action plan issued in June by the People’s Bank of China, NDRC, NFRA, CSRC, SAFE and Shanghai government called for studying the orderly development of family trusts and family office businesses. A report from the Hurun Research Institute and Bank of East Asia estimated that around RM

Younger family office investors are placing greater emphasis on liquidity and shorter investment horizons as changing careers, locations and markets reshape the priorities of the next generation. Rémi Casals, head of international wealth solutions at First Eagle Investments, said investors in their 20s and 30s remain comfortable committing capital for four to six years but are less inclined towards investments requiring 10- to 15-year commitments. Younger family members tend

The Hong Kong financial centre ranking remains first in Asia and third globally in the latest Global Financial Centres Index, reinforcing the city’s position among the world’s leading financial hubs. Hong Kong recorded a score of 756 in the index, produced by Z/Yen and the China Development Institute. The city retained its top global position for fintech offerings, while its ranking for financial sector development climbed to first worldwide. Hong Kong was also ranked second

Asia-Pacific family office hedge funds allocations are increasing as wealthy investors redeploy gains from the region’s strong equity markets into alternative investment strategies, according to Cambridge Associates. Hedge fund allocations among some family office clients can reach between 20% and 25% of portfolios, while very few allocate less than 10%, Eugene Snyman, Cambridge Associates’ Asia-Pacific regional head, told The Business Times. Snyman said family offices are in

Hong Kong investor confidence remained resilient in August, with the Investor Confidence Index holding at 68 and 88% of respondents planning to maintain or increase investment allocations over the coming year. The Dah Sing Banking survey covered 608 investors and found the headline confidence reading was broadly unchanged from a year earlier. High-value investors holding more than HKD8m (USD1.02m) in liquid assets were the most optimistic group, recording an index reading of