Chinese investment banks dominated APAC investment banking fees in 2025, supported by offshore bond issuance and a rebound in Hong Kong IPO activity, according to LSEG league tables. Citic Securities topped Asia Pacific ex-Japan fees with USD1.45bn, or 5.8% of the regional total. It was followed by China Securities, Bank of China, China International Capital and Guotai Haitong Securities, while Morgan Stanley ranked sixth. Chinese banks benefited from strong issuance of yuan-

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

Asia-Pacific dealmaking is expected to remain strong in 2026, led by mergers and acquisitions in China and India, Citigroup said. The bank said Asia-Pacific dealmaking will be supported by rising capital flows from the Middle East, increased activity by financial sponsors and multinational firms seeking growth. Financing activity is expected to be dominated by AI, healthcare, technology, media and telecommunications, while companies continue to favour convertible bonds for f

Digital Assets Week Hong Kong will return on Feb 4, 2026, positioning itself as an executive forum for banks, asset managers, infrastructure providers and regulators as the city seeks to expand tokenisation and digital-asset activity. The event will be held at The Gala Muse in Victoria Dockside with Arta Global Markets as host partner. Under the theme Capital Markets Transformation, Digital Assets Week Hong Kong will focus on live and upcoming developments in issuance, tradin

Asia-Pacific real estate outlook 2026 is positive, according to German asset manager DWS, which cited a rebound in regional investment volumes, easing monetary conditions and generally firm rental growth. DWS said markets now expect policy rates in Australia and South Korea to ease a further 25–30 basis points by end-2026, while the Bank of Japan could continue normalising policy with a small hike toward 1% within six to 12 months. High construction costs are constraining new

Japan real estate fund fundraising is accelerating as Goldman Sachs seeks to raise about USD500m for a Japan-focused property vehicle, aiming to capture a rebound in the market driven by low borrowing costs and a weak yen, sources said. The value-add Japan real estate fund has been marketed to investors in recent months and plans to invest across data centres, logistics, residential and hospitality assets, targeting mid-teen returns. A first close is expected by end-March. Ja

Philippine sukuk rules proposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) could help deepen the capital market and attract domestic and foreign investors, RCBC chief economist Michael Ricafort said. A second exposure draft released in November sets issuance and disclosure standards focused on Shari’ah compliance, transparency and investor protection. Under the Philippine sukuk rules, publicly offered sukuk would require SEC registration and could be listed, traded and s

Hong Kong Investment Funds Association (HKIFA) CEO appointment sees the industry body name Paula Ip, a former UBS Global Wealth Management executive, as chief executive officer with immediate effect. Ip brings more than 30 years of experience in asset management and wealth advisory and most recently served as a managing director at UBS Global Wealth Management overseeing fund advisory and distribution across North Asia. She previously held senior roles at UBS, GAM, ING and J.

Taiwan stock market performance has outpaced Japan and South Korea over the past four years as an artificial intelligence hardware boom lifted the island’s tech-heavy economy, Taiwan’s central bank said. The Taiwan stock market performance saw the TAIEX index rise about 120% from a 2022 low to 27,867 by mid-December, beating gains in Japan’s Nikkei 225 and South Korea’s KOSPI. Strong AI chip exports, ample global liquidity and Taiwan’s dominance in AI server assembly have sup

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

Korea banks AI strategy is taking centre stage as senior executives from the country’s major financial groups prepare to attend CES 2026 to scout artificial intelligence applications beyond traditional banking. Under the Korea banks AI strategy, KakaoBank said its chief executive Yun Ho-young will join AI and strategy teams to track developments including AI agents, blockchain-based fintech and AI-driven security. State-owned Industrial Bank of Korea will operate an exhibitio

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

Asia dealmaking 2025 rebounded strongly as transaction volumes across the region reached about USD1.3tr, up 21% year on year, according to Bloomberg-compiled data cited by bankers. Advisers said renewed momentum in China and record activity in Japan are setting the stage for a robust start to 2026, led by consumer, healthcare, TMT and sponsor-driven transactions. Citigroup’s Jan Metzger said the M&A pipeline is among the strongest he has seen. In China, multinationals are in

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

Hong Kong offshore renminbi funding capacity has increased after the Hong Kong Monetary Authority doubled the quota of its yuan business facility to CNY100bn (USD14bn) and expanded participation to 40 banks. Phase two of the scheme, launched on Dec 1, allows banks to draw yuan funding within assigned quotas to lend to local and overseas corporates, with allocations based on existing business pipelines and overseas networks. HKMA chief executive Eddie Yue said authorities, wit

Singapore fintech expansion Asia is accelerating as Fingular opened a new operations hub in Kuala Lumpur to support its growth across Southeast Asia. The company said the Malaysia office will function as a shared workspace for local staff and rotating teams from other markets, combining remote work with in-person collaboration. Chief executive Maxim Chernushchenko said the hub is part of a broader strategy to keep teams connected while establishing a physical presence in key

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

Southeast Asia equity inflows picked up in December as global funds bought about USD337m of regional stocks, marking the largest monthly inflow since September 2024, according to Bloomberg-compiled data cited by local media. Indonesia and Thailand led the rebound, though net outflows for 2025 still total around USD15bn. Strategists said the region’s relatively low exposure to artificial intelligence-linked stocks has weighed on performance but also makes Southeast Asia an alt

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

Amova Asset Management Malaysia expansion is under way after the Japanese firm, formerly Nikko Asset Management, agreed to lift its stake in AHAM Asset Management Bhd to 97.7% from 20% by acquiring shares from CVC Capital Partners and other investors, subject to regulatory approvals. AHAM Capital said assets under management at the group, including Islamic unit AIIMAN, exceeded RM100bn (USD22.7bn) as of Nov 30, placing it among Malaysia’s top three managers. Amova, part of Su