China market regulator chief Luo Wen has formally left the State Administration for Market Regulation following his appointment as Communist Party chief of Hebei province. China's human resources ministry confirmed Luo's removal from the regulatory position after the 61-year-old was named Hebei's top official on July 31, replacing Ni Yuefeng. Hebei surrounds Beijing and forms an important part of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei economic region, making its provincial leadership an i

South Korea investor leverage is unlikely to return to levels seen during the Kospi's first-half rally even if equities resume their advance, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Rena Kwok. Investors who borrowed heavily to pursue stock-market gains are reassessing their tolerance for risk following sharp market corrections and substantial losses, Kwok said. Regulators have tightened controls covering leveraged exchange-traded funds, while brokerages, banks and insuran

Hong Kong & Dubai climate finance cooperation will deepen when financial regulators from the two centres hold their third Joint Climate Finance Conference in Hong Kong on Sept. 10. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) will bring together corporate leaders, investors and policymakers to discuss partnerships, financing solutions and innovations supporting the transition towards lower-carbon economies. HKMA Chief Executive Eddie Y

China US tariffs are expected to increase by the end of 2026, according to more than half of Chinese corporate executives surveyed by UBS, while 40% anticipate tariff reductions. The UBS China C-Suite survey, conducted from May to mid-June, found that 57% of respondents expected bilateral relations to deteriorate, compared with only 12% anticipating improvement. Despite trade concerns, exporters reported improving demand. A net 14% said orders had strengthened from a year ear

Hong Kong shareholding concentration is attracting increased regulatory scrutiny as the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) warns that highly concentrated ownership can expose small- and mid-cap stocks to sharp price movements. The SFC had flagged 13 cases by August, compared with 15 during all of 2025 and just one in 2023. The regulator warns that when controlling shareholders and a small number of investors hold most of a company's issued shares, relatively small transa

New China offshore insurance tax enforcement is increasing pressure on Hong Kong financial institutions serving mainland Chinese customers. Chinese tax authorities have begun imposing a 20% personal income tax on returns generated by offshore insurance policies, including dividends and interest earned on prepaid premiums, according to Caixin. The enforcement relies on information exchanged through the Common Reporting Standard, which gives mainland authorities access to overs

The South Korea stock market remains supported by solid economic fundamentals despite a sharp recent sell-off, Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said. Koo cited resilient economic growth, strong exports, manageable inflation and improving consumer and business confidence while pledging additional measures to deepen capital markets and support emerging industries. His comments followed a Bloomberg Opinion column describing South Korea as increasingly “uninvestable” because of ext

The proposed South Korea T+1 settlement transition may be too rapid for international financial institutions to implement safely, according to foreign investment banks consulted by regulators. South Korea is considering shortening its equity settlement cycle from two business days after execution to one, with an implementation period of only eight to nine months. Foreign banks said comparable transitions generally require at least 18 months of preparation. The Financial Servi

ASEAN infrastructure investment should be driven by private capital and commercial discipline, supported by predictable government policies and deeper regional integration, according to Singapore Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Defence Chan Chun Sing. Speaking at the ASEAN & Asia Forum, Chan said investors choose Singapore for its consistent delivery and global connectivity rather than the size of its domestic market. Policy certainty is particularly important f

Hong Kong SME credit conditions remained broadly stable during the second quarter of 2026, according to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's latest survey of small and medium-sized businesses. Excluding respondents who were uncertain about banks' lending stance, 78% viewed credit approval conditions as similar to or easier than six months earlier, up from 73% in the first quarter. The proportion reporting more difficult conditions declined to 22%. Among SMEs with existing credi

China and Hong Kong capital markets cooperation is set to deepen through new measures supporting cross-border listings, offshore yuan products and faster exchange-traded fund approvals. The Securities and Futures Commission and the China Securities Regulatory Commission said eligible mainland companies would continue receiving support for Hong Kong listings, while qualifying Hong Kong-listed firms could seek listings on mainland exchanges. Hong Kong companies may also issue b

The ASEAN and China free trade agreement is expected to be upgraded by the end of 2026 as both sides seek to deepen cooperation in digital trade, green commerce and regional supply chains. Officials attending the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement Joint Committee meeting discussed completing negotiations on ACFTA 3.0 before a leaders' summit scheduled for November. The revised framework will introduce new commitments covering digital trade, environmental goods and services, and

Kaohsiung family offices are playing an increasingly important role in Taiwan's ambition to become a leading Asian asset management centre, with banks in the city's financial zone now advising 189 family offices. The Financial Supervisory Commission said these family offices oversee NTD91.5bn (USD2.8bn) in assets. During the zone's first year, 57 financial institutions, including banks, insurers and investment firms, established operations. Banks are also serving 427 wealth m

South Korea leveraged ETFs could face further restrictions as regulators seek to reduce market volatility and strengthen protection for retail investors. Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol and senior financial officials recently discussed proposals that could limit single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds to 20% of an individual's investment portfolio. Officials said these products had contributed to heightened market volatility and agreed that further safeguards should be in

A major Vietnam capital markets reform programme aims to expand outstanding bonds to around 60% of gross domestic product by 2045 while making capital markets a significantly larger source of long-term financing. Under Decision 1413/QD-TTg, Vietnam will tighten credit-rating requirements, broaden bond products and modernise market infrastructure after outstanding bonds reached around 34% of GDP during 2025, below earlier targets. Planned reforms include infrastructure, ESG an

The KPay Singapore licence application has received in-principle approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, allowing the fintech company to move closer to expanding regulated payment services. Subject to satisfying MAS conditions and obtaining final approval, KPay Merchant Service Singapore will be authorised to provide merchant acquisition, domestic money transfers and cross-border transfer services under a major payment institution licence. KPay already serves more

Proposed Philippines tax reforms covering workers, small businesses and energy costs have become central to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s final legislative push. In his fifth State of the Nation Address, Marcos urged Congress to exempt employees earning up to PHP350,000 (USD5,679) annually from income tax, remove the minimum corporate income tax for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and approve a one-time tax amnesty. He also called for amendments to the Electric P

New Singapore sustainability reporting standards have been proposed by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, combining mandatory climate disclosures with voluntary reporting on broader sustainability matters. The draft Singapore Sustainability Disclosure Standards are based on the International Sustainability Standards Board’s S1 and S2 frameworks. Climate-related disclosures aligned with S2 would be compulsory, while the wider S1 sustainability requirements woul

Singapore investment tax cuts are under consideration as Hong Kong strengthens its appeal to global fund managers, private equity firms and family offices while attracting senior finance professionals back to the city. The Monetary Authority of Singapore is consulting the investment industry about possible reductions amid concern that Hong Kong’s proposed reforms could improve its competitiveness. Hong Kong plans to broaden the definition of investment funds, ease tax exempti

The HKMA quantum readiness programme aims to prepare Hong Kong’s banking sector fully for quantum-related cybersecurity risks by 2030 after the regulator’s first industry index revealed limited progress. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s Quantum Preparedness Index scored the banking sector at just 2.3 out of 10. Around 68% of surveyed banks had reached the awareness, planning or pilot stage, while 32% had yet to begin preparing for the transition. Approximately half lacked a