The HKMA e-HKD Pilot Programme 2025 has concluded its second phase, with 11 industry pilots confirming that both e-HKD and tokenised deposits can deliver cost-efficient, programmable, and resilient transactions. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority said public confidence in the banking system ensures strong trust in both digital forms. As a credit-risk-free central bank instrument, e-HKD is now viewed as best suited for wholesale applications such as tokenised asset settlement an

The APEC CEO Summit 2025 opened in South Korea, with global business and political leaders urging stronger multilateral cooperation and supply-chain resilience amid geopolitical and technological challenges. The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry-hosted event gathered over 1,700 participants, including leaders from the US, South Korea, and OECD. President Lee Jae Myung pledged to prioritise coordination as APEC chair, calling supply-chain collaboration “the core of solida

Malaysia takaful ta`awun framework 2025 will be issued by year-end, expanding the scope of mutual assistance in Islamic insurance, Bank Negara Malaysia announced. The upcoming policy will define shariah and regulatory standards to support financial inclusion and resilience, aligning with maqasid shariah principles. The framework stems from the Sixth Centralised Shariah Authorities Forum held on 15 October, chaired by Datuk Prof. Dr. Ashraf Md Hashim and attended by 50 delegat

GIC private equity secondaries 2025 plans involve Singapore’s GIC selling a portfolio of private-equity fund stakes valued at more than USD1bn, Bloomberg reported. The portfolio spans about 30 funds from Blackstone, Apollo Global Management, and TDR Capital, each averaging around USD100m, with vintages dating back to 2016. The sale, aimed at portfolio rebalancing, comes amid rising global secondary-market activity, which Jefferies said reached USD103bn in the first half of th

Asia M&A 2025 activity fell 19% to USD284bn in the first nine months, marking the region’s weakest performance in a decade, according to Boston Consulting Group. In contrast, global M&A rose 10% to USD1.94tr, its second consecutive annual increase. North American dealmaking surged 25% to USD1.2tr, while Europe slipped 5% to USD375bn. Technology, media, and telecoms dominated global activity at USD536bn, followed by financials and real estate at USD357bn and industrials at USD

China QFII rules 2025 will see a major overhaul as the China Securities Regulatory Commission announced plans to simplify entry and operations for qualified foreign investors. The new framework introduces a “green channel” for sovereign wealth, pension, and charitable funds while expanding access to ETF options and commodity futures for hedging. CSRC Chairman Wu Qing said the reforms aim to enhance China’s market inclusiveness, adaptability, and competitiveness. The regulator

ASEAN-China FTA upgrade 2025 was signed in Malaysia, expanding the pact with new chapters on the digital and green economy and modern industries. ASEAN remains China’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade hitting USD771bn in 2024. The enhanced “3.0” agreement follows negotiations that began in 2022 and concluded in May, building on the original 2010 framework. The upgraded free-trade agreement is expected to boost cooperation in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and tech

China QFII rules 2025 will see a major overhaul as the China Securities Regulatory Commission announced plans to simplify entry and operations for qualified foreign investors. The new framework introduces a “green channel” for sovereign wealth, pension, and charitable funds while expanding access to ETF options and commodity futures for hedging. CSRC Chairman Wu Qing said the reforms aim to enhance China’s market inclusiveness, adaptability, and competitiveness. The regulator

ESG funds Q3 outflows 2025 totalled USD55bn, Morningstar reported, driven by UK-domiciled BlackRock fund redemptions linked to a pension client’s shift into custom mandates. Excluding those withdrawals, sustainable funds still recorded USD7.2bn in net outflows versus USD6.2bn of revised inflows in Q2. Europe (ex-BlackRock) lost USD3.1bn and the US posted a 12th straight quarter of withdrawals at USD5.1bn. Asia ex-Japan added USD1.6bn, mainly from South Korea, Thailand, and Ta

Hong Kong finance summit 2025 will feature China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng delivering a virtual keynote at the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit next week, the HKMA said. Running Monday to Wednesday, the fourth summit will gather top global finance executives to discuss navigating today’s volatile economy. Chief Executive John Lee will also address delegates, while Financial Secretary Paul Chan will deliver closing remarks and lead a Dialogue with International Inves

ASEAN-US ties 2025 were underscored by Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the 13th ASEAN-US Summit, who said stability in Southeast Asia underpins regional growth and creates opportunities for US businesses. He cited trade and investment links supporting over 600,000 American jobs across a market of 700 million people. Wong emphasised that continued US engagement is vital for peace and prosperity and flagged openings for US firms in the digital economy and the ASEAN Po

Vietnam VAT refunds 2025 are at the centre of calls for reform as the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) urged the government to amend rules under the new VAT Law No. 48/2024/QH15. VCCI said complex refund procedures and delays are hurting cash flow and export competitiveness, especially for commodities with low margins such as coffee, pepper, and seafood. Firms must “pay first, refund later,” with coffee exporters advancing VND10tr (USD392m) a year and pepper pr

Hong Kong finance summit 2025 will convene 300 top financial executives—including 100 group chairmen and CEOs—at the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit on 3–5 November, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced. Themed “Trekking through Shifting Terrain,” the event reflects both Hong Kong’s hiking culture and its evolving geoeconomic landscape. The three-day programme includes a welcome dinner, plenary sessions on macroeconomics, trade and digitalisation, and

China crypto crackdown 2025 will intensify as the People’s Bank of China maintains restrictions on domestic cryptocurrency activity while monitoring offshore developments, Governor Pan Gongsheng said. Speaking at a Beijing conference, Pan noted that virtual assets—particularly stablecoins—remain immature and fail to meet key standards for customer verification and anti-money-laundering compliance. He warned that the growth of stablecoins increases vulnerabilities in global fi

Fitch Ratings Philippines forecast puts GDP growth at 5.6% in 2025, aligning with the government’s 5.5%–6.5% target, underpinned by infrastructure investment, services exports, and remittance-driven consumption. The projection assumes easing inflation and interest rates after the BSP cut policy rates by 25 basis points (bps) to 4.75%. Fitch cautioned that global trade frictions and political uncertainty—following weaker midterm results for President Marcos Jr.’s allies and a

China billionaires 2025 numbers hit a record high, with 340 new names joining Hurun’s China Rich List, lifting the total to 1,434 individuals worth at least RMB5bn (USD702m). Combined wealth surged 42% to RMB30tr as stock-market gains in “new economy” sectors boosted valuations. Bottled-water magnate Zhong Shanshan reclaimed the top spot with RMB530bn, up 56%, while ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming ranked second at RMB470bn. Hong Kong’s richest, Li Ka-shing and Victor Li, saw w

SFC fund rule amendments could reshape Hong Kong’s asset management landscape as the Securities and Futures Commission launched a three-month consultation to widen retail access to private credit and increase derivatives flexibility. Under the proposed revisions to the Code on Unit Trusts and Mutual Funds, authorised unlisted mutual funds may invest up to 50% of assets in private credit and other illiquid holdings, up from 15%, aligning with global standards. The SFC said the

HKEX IPO pipeline 2025 has grown sharply, with Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing CEO Bonnie Chan reporting about 300 listing applications, up 36.4% from 220 at end-July. IPO fundraising reached HKD182.9bn (USD23.5bn) as of September, more than double the previous year’s total. Chan said international long-term funds from Europe, the US, the Middle East, and emerging markets are actively subscribing to Hong Kong IPOs, particularly in technology and innovation. Post-listing refi

HKMA stablecoin licenses will be tightly controlled under Hong Kong’s new Stablecoin Ordinance, which took effect in August, with the regulator signalling a high bar for approval. The HKMA expects only a limited first batch of issuers to be licensed early next year. Meanwhile, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing has reportedly queried at least five companies seeking to rebrand as Digital Asset Treasury firms holding large crypto reserves, citing listing rules that bar firms from

Singapore property investment preferences dominate wealth strategies, with 64% of Singaporeans preferring real estate over equities, deposits, bonds, and crypto, according to ERA’s 2025 My Dream Home Survey conducted with Ngee Ann Polytechnic. The poll found 41% eyeing Housing & Development Board flats and 39% private condominiums, with budgets rising—over half of buyers plan to spend SGD1m–SGD2m (USD738,000–USD1.48m) and 20% SGD2m–SGD3m. Transport connectivity ranked top pri