China female fund managers have risen to 1,110 as of March 6, representing about 26.7% of the country’s 4,150 active mutual fund managers, according to Wind Information data. Funds managed or co‑managed by women totalled RMB18.95tr(USD2.6tr), accounting for 51.06% of industry assets under management. Funds solely managed by women amounted to RMB6.83tr. Data cited by Bloomberg showed the number of China female fund managers increased from 1,088 a year earlier. Over the past ye

Standard Chartered digital assets Asia strategy is expanding with the appointment of Karby Leggett as head of digital assets for Greater China, North Asia, South Asia and ASEAN. Leggett will join the bank’s Digital Assets Centre of Excellence while continuing as global head of the official institutions group under the research division. The bank said the appointment reflects growing institutional interest in tokenised finance, stablecoins and digital‑asset ecosystems. Standar

Hong Kong family office gold hub ambitions may benefit from escalating Middle East tensions as investors consider shifting assets away from the region, analysts said. Market strategist Kenny Tang said Hong Kong could attract funds that might otherwise flow to Dubai, citing the city’s deep capital markets and free capital flows. The Hong Kong family office gold hub strategy follows the government’s latest budget pledging tax incentives for bullion trading, expanded vault capac

Raffles Family Office platform for Asian asset managers will be launched through a venture called Quantive Partners in partnership with wealth-tech firm GoUpscale and consultancy Synpulse. The privacy-first Raffles Family Office platform aims to reduce fragmentation caused by multiple custodians, portfolio tools and data sources while improving data integrity, risk visibility and client engagement. Raffles Family Office will act as anchor partner, GoUpscale will build the res

Chinese lenders Middle East exposure is being reduced as financial firms curb lending risks linked to the escalating Iran conflict, Bloomberg News reported citing people familiar with the matter. One major Chinese bank has restricted drawdowns on a bilateral loan to an Abu Dhabi government-linked financial institution, while a mid-sized lender is seeking buyers for parts of syndicated loans to Middle Eastern borrowers. Asian and Chinese banks extended more than USD15bn of loa

Hong Kong family office tax exemptions could widen as authorities seek to strengthen the city’s position as a global wealth hub. Financial Services and the Treasury Secretary Christopher Hui said the government plans to expand profits-tax exemptions for eligible family offices and funds to include assets such as private credit, gold and commodities, carbon credits, insurance-linked securities and certain digital assets. The Hong Kong family office tax exemptions proposal will

Hong Kong independent wealth managers model changes are accelerating as private banks tighten compliance requirements and ultra‑rich clients demand broader advisory expertise. Industry executives ahead of the Hubbis Independent Wealth Management Forum Hong Kong 2026 said banks are institutionalising client relationships with heavier onboarding including source‑of‑wealth checks. The Hong Kong independent wealth managers model shift reflects growing demand from families for gov

Hong Kong MPF gold ETF investment may become possible as the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority studies expanding permitted asset classes. Chair Ayesha Macpherson Lau said regulators are reviewing whether MPF schemes can invest in gold exchange‑traded funds as Hong Kong seeks to develop a gold trading hub. The Hong Kong MPF gold ETF proposal follows a completed review of REIT investments including those listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen, while the eMPF platform rollout

Asian banks Gulf lending exposure is facing renewed uncertainty as escalating tensions linked to Iran raise risks for financing activity in the Middle East, Bloomberg reported. Asian and Chinese banks extended more than USD15bn of loans to the region last year, triple the previous year, with most funding directed to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Analysts said some lenders may take a wait‑and‑see approach or demand higher pricing rather than exit deals if tensions remain contained

Hong Kong investment immigration scheme demand is rising as the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme received 3,166 applications implying about HKD95bn (USD12.2bn) of investment commitments, Invest Hong Kong said. More than 1,760 applicants have completed investments and obtained formal approval from the Immigration Department. Nearly 40% of deployed capital, or HKD21.4bn, went into Securities and Futures Commission‑approved funds while HKD16.1bn or 29% was invested in equit

Hong Kong Shanghai digital trade finance cooperation advanced after the two cities signed a memorandum of understanding to research digital technologies for cross‑border trade and cargo data integration. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority said partners will study electronic bills of lading and test digital solutions under Project Ensemble. The Hong Kong Shanghai digital trade finance initiative involves the Shanghai Data Bureau and the National Technology Innovation Center for

HSBC Singapore wealth centre expansion continues after the bank opened its fourth and largest facility in the city‑state, adding a 7,884‑sq‑ft site with 14 meeting rooms at Singapore Land Tower. The HSBC Singapore wealth centre will serve Premier Elite customers launched in 2024 for clients with at least SGD1.2m (USD1m) in relationship balances. HSBC said the facility is part of a broader upgrade of its Singapore network and wealth proposition as the lender deepens its focus

The Financial Services Development Council welcomed the Hong Kong budget Finance+ agenda, saying measures in the 2026-27 Budget will deepen market liquidity and strengthen the city’s role as a global financial centre and international gateway for cross-border capital. Chairman Benjamin Hung said the multipronged approach supports building a fuller debt market and a more efficient yield curve, while executive director Rocky Tung praised plans to modernise capital markets, incl

Singapore dividends 2025 reached a record USD18.7bn, up 19.1% from a year earlier, helped by bank special dividends and higher payouts, Capital Group said in its Global Equity Study. Global dividends also rose 7% to a record USD2.09tr, the report said. Capital Group noted Singapore’s top-line growth was lifted by one-offs, while core growth was more modest, and said banks’ special dividends reflected strong capital positions. Jeik Sohn, head of client group for Southeast Asia

SCB Asset Management expects a 2026 risk-asset upcycle, setting a best-case year-end target of 1,600 for the Stock Exchange of Thailand index and aiming to lift assets under management above THB2tr(USD56bn), its chief executive said. CEO Narongsak Plodmechai cited stabilising global equities, a rebound in parts of Asia and easier liquidity as major central banks cut rates. SCBAM aims to reach 1 million investors this year after opening 100,000 new accounts in the first two mo

Hong Kong will inject more capital into the Hong Kong Investment Corporation after it largely allocated its initial HKD62bn (USD7.9bn), as the government widens the fund’s role to draw long-term money into high-quality commercial property projects, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said. The Hong Kong Investment Corporation has invested in more than 190 projects, with 10 portfolio companies already listed and another 20 preparing to list this year, he said. Chan also said the fun

Singapore’s three largest banks drew SGD77bn (USD 60.4bn) in net new money in 2025 as geopolitical strains and trade uncertainty pushed wealthy Asians to shift assets to the city-state, highlighting Singapore banks wealth inflows. OCBC said net new money rose 30% to SGD27bn, lifting wealth AUM to SGD343bn, while DBS reported SGD39bn of inflows that brought wealth AUM to SGD488bn, and UOB logged SGD11bn, taking high-net-worth AUM to SGD201bn. The surge is pushing lenders to re

Singapore’s asset management industry grew to about S$6.7tr (USD4.96tr) in 2024, up roughly 12% from a year earlier, underscoring Singapore asset management AUM growth and the city-state’s role as a hub for international strategies, Russell Adam, senior managing partner at Resource Group Holdings wrote. About 77% of assets originated from outside Singapore and nearly 88% were invested overseas, he said. Alternatives including private equity, venture capital, private credit an

The APAC private banking market is forecast to grow at a 9.43% compound annual rate from 2026 to 2031, expanding from USD44.3bn in 2025 to USD76.05bn by 2031, Mordor Intelligence said, pointing to APAC private banking market growth. The market is expected to reach USD48.47bn in 2026, up from USD44.3bn in 2025, as rising high-net-worth populations and large inter-generational wealth transfers lift demand for advice and discretionary mandates. Banks are also investing more in t

Family offices in Hong Kong and Singapore are ramping up allocations to Asia private credit as flexible financing and higher yields draw investors into a market expected to accelerate in 2026, executives and rating analysts said. SC Lowy CEO Michel Lowy forecast a new multi-year allocation cycle into Asia, with growth outpacing other regions as private lenders fill gaps left by constrained banks, particularly in real estate, data centres and energy transition. Moody’s Ratings