China VC fundraising is on track for a record first quarter as Beijing channels more state-backed money into technology sectors such as AI, robotics and quantum computing. Newly committed capital to venture funds reached RMB86bn(USD12.5bn) in January and February alone, already above the previous quarterly high of RMB68.9bn set in Q3 2021, according to data from the Asset Management Association of China cited by Reuters. Nearly all of the biggest backers of new yuan-denominat

Vietnam venture capital funding could gain support from newly created state-backed funds, which industry executives said may help unlock more private capital for startups by giving foreign investors greater confidence in the market. Hanoi has set up a VND600bn(USD22.8m) fund, while Ho Chi Minh City launched a VND500bn vehicle, though executives said the sums remain modest relative to demand and far below the size of some regional funding rounds. ThinkZone Ventures said govern

China fund manager merger activity is set to deepen as Huaan Fund Management and smaller peer HFT Investment Management prepare to combine under rules that bar one company from controlling stakes in two mutual fund managers, according to a local media report. Both firms are controlled by Guotai Haitong Securities, and the final merger plan is expected later this month or in early April. The proposed China fund manager merger comes as regulators push wider consolidation across

Philippines private capital funding growth accelerated in 2025 as total capital raised rose 34% year on year to USD1.5bn, according to a Foxmont Capital Partners report. Debt financing jumped 144% to USD490m, while equity funding rose 10% to USD1.01bn. Although total deal volume fell, average deal size increased 64% to just over USD20m, indicating a shift towards larger transactions. Fintech remained the most active sector by deal count, while healthtech posted the biggest ri

Asia real estate private credit fund commitments have reached USD165m for Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management and Aravest Private Funds, marking the first in a planned pipeline of private credit products under SMBC Group’s private markets platform. The strategy launched in 2025 with USD120m and expanded after additional commitments, Sumitomo Mitsui DS said. The fund can invest across the property asset life cycle, including construction, bridge and stabilised stages. The laun

Asia Pacific private equity exits rebound in 2025 as exit value rose 24% to USD150bn and net distributions turned positive, according to Bain & Company. Bain said IPO and open-market exits jumped more than 70% from 2024, while trade exits rose 60%, helping ease pressure on distributions despite ageing portfolios from 2020 to 2022. Exit values increased across most regional markets, though Southeast Asia fell to USD4bn from USD6bn. Fundraising dropped 37% to USD58bn, marking a

Sumitomo Life private credit allocation is set to increase as the insurer considers investing about JPY300bn(USD2bn) in the asset class in the fiscal year starting April. The company already holds about JPY1.6tr in private credit, including CLOs, and sees the asset class as attractive due to higher spreads and long-duration matching with liabilities. It is also targeting about JPY700bn in ESG-related investments over three years. The Sumitomo Life private credit allocation hi

KKR Asia infrastructure investing remains attractive despite infrastructure not acting as a traditional crisis safe haven, according to the firm’s global head of real assets Raj Agrawal. Investors suffered losses during both the global financial crisis and the COVID‑19 pandemic as assets such as toll roads, ports and airports were closely linked to economic cycles. KKR has since shifted its strategy toward assets with contracted cash flows and stronger downside protection, in

Haitong Shaw Investment partnership aims to support Chinese companies expanding overseas and seeking access to global capital markets. Haitong International Securities has partnered with Singapore‑based Shaw Investment APAC, a single‑family office managing about USD3bn in assets. The collaboration will facilitate outbound investments and cross‑border financing opportunities while leveraging Singapore’s role as a regional financial hub. The Haitong Shaw Investment partnership

Family offices frontier science investing is accelerating as wealthy Asian families expand allocations to sectors such as space technology and longevity biotech. The Venture Network founder Lachezar Zanev said younger heirs are increasingly pursuing both outsized returns and social impact through emerging scientific industries. Lower launch costs and improving satellite capabilities, alongside biotech advances moving toward clinical applications, are widening the opportunity

China’s private equity exit drought deepened in 2025, with top global buyout firms failing to record a single publicly disclosed full divestment from mainland portfolio companies for a second straight year, the Financial Times reported. Citing PitchBook and Dealogic data, the FT said 10 major houses including KKR, Blackstone, CVC, TPG, Warburg Pincus, Carlyle, Bain Capital, EQT, Advent and Apollo posted zero completed exits, piling pressure on China teams and slowing capital

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

Private equity allocation by Asia family offices is set to rise as investors adapt to geopolitical risks and inflation, according to a 2026 global survey by J.P. Morgan Private Bank. The study covered 333 family offices across 30 countries, including key Asia hubs such as Singapore and Hong Kong, and found portfolios remain heavily tilted toward public equities and private investments, which together account for more than two-thirds of assets. About 37% of Asia family offices

AIIB Keppel private credit fund commitment will reach up to USD125m after the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank agreed to back Keppel Private Credit Fund III, the companies said. Keppel said the pledge includes a USD75m investment and a co-investment sleeve of up to USD50m, lifting the fund’s funds under management to more than USD561m. It is AIIB’s first investment under a strategic partnership signed in June 2025 that aims to mobilise up to USD1.5bn of sustainable infras

Family offices private equity diversification is accelerating as investors shift more capital into private equity and other alternatives while broadening jurisdictions to manage geopolitical and regulatory risks, according to Ocorian’s 2025 Family Office Report cited by Circle Family Office founder Amin Naj. Pureprofile surveyed 200 family office leaders, family members and advisers in June 2025 and found more than 75% plan to materially increase private equity allocations ov

Asia family offices private equity exposure is set to increase as volatility in public markets pushes investors towards longer-term, less correlated returns, a Schroders Wealth Management survey showed. The poll of 60 family office executives in Singapore, Hong Kong, and across Southeast Asia and India found 52% plan to raise private equity allocations over the next three years, ahead of public equities at 38%, hedge funds at 33%, and bonds and real estate at 22% each. Schro

Hong Kong private equity hub prospects remain strong as the city positions itself to lead Asia’s private markets, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said. Chan said Hong Kong hosts more than 650 private equity firms with assets under management of about USD230bn, supported by deep liquidity in asset and wealth management, a rapidly expanding family office ecosystem and strong capital inflows. He highlighted opportunities in hard technology including artificial intelligence,

Blackstone Asia hiring plans are accelerating as the alternative asset manager looks to capture rising private market demand from individual investors, Ed Huang, its Asia-Pacific private wealth head, said. Blackstone has roughly doubled its regional team over the past two years and is expanding in Japan, adding staff in Australia and placing people on the ground in South Korea. Huang said the firm sees strong potential in offering private equity and private credit products to

SC Capital Japan hotel strategy has secured a major capital commitment as investors position for a tourism rebound. Singapore-based real estate investment manager SC Capital Partners said it has secured backing from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for its Japan hospitality strategy, supported by a consortium including an existing institutional investor. The initial commitment totals up to USD330m, with capacity to scale to USD719m, while CPP Investments will invest up to

China national M&A fund planning is under study as authorities seek to sharpen the strategic direction of government-backed investment vehicles, the state planner said. Wang Changlin, a vice head of the National Development and Reform Commission, said the proposed national mergers and acquisitions fund would support innovation and entrepreneurship and accelerate the development of so-called new quality productive forces. He added that building a modern industrial system requi