Indonesia’s tycoons strengthened their dominance of the Southeast Asia rich list in October, led by energy and petrochemicals magnate Prajogo Pangestu with an estimated net worth of USD41.5bn, according to Forbes-based rankings. Coal producer Bayan Resources founder Low Tuck Kwong followed with USD25.2bn, while banking and tobacco heirs Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Hartono ranked next at about USD19.4bn and USD18.6bn respectively. Outside Indonesia, Vietnam’s Vingroup foun

Asia remains under-invested despite strong fundamentals and attractive valuations, according to DBS’ chief investment office. Senior strategist Daryl Ho said lingering caution after years of weak performance has kept investors on the sidelines even as opportunities strengthen across dividend and growth assets. Dividend yields in Singapore and China hover around 5%–6%, while technology earnings in Asia excluding Japan are forecast to grow in the mid-20% range in FY2026. Ho not

Foreign investors remain confident about expanding in Thailand despite political uncertainty surrounding Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s government and the possibility of an early-2026 parliamentary dissolution ahead of elections, the Board of Investment said. The BoI said Thailand’s legal framework and investment-promotion policies would remain in place, with investment demand focused on electric vehicles, advanced electronics, data centres, printed circuit boards and a

Taiwan central bank governor Yang Chin-long said stablecoins may have payment potential but pose stablecoin oversight risks and fall short of Bank for International Settlements standards needed to anchor a monetary system. Speaking in Taipei at a Financial Information Service Co conference, Yang said stablecoins lack unity, elasticity and integrity, and tokens can trade at premiums or discounts depending on reserve quality and issuer risk. He said many stablecoin issuers are

From “Don’t Lose Grandfather’s Money” to “Let’s Build the Future” Family offices in Hong Kong and Asia are steadily shifting from a pure capital‑preservation mindset toward a more creative deployment of capital . Instead of only asking “How do we avoid loss?”, many are also asking “What new engines of wealth and influence can we build?” Global and APAC surveys show rising allocations to private markets, growth equity and direct deals, especially where families can contribute

Asia family office hubs are accelerating their professionalisation as newly wealthy entrepreneurs establish dedicated organisations and compete for experienced talent, according to a compensation benchmark report by KPMG Private Enterprise and recruiter Agreus. The study was based on an online survey of 585 family-office professionals ranging from personal assistants to principals, alongside 20 in-depth interviews with senior leaders worldwide. Singapore and Hong Kong continu

Nearly 80% of Chinese mainland companies are using Hong Kong as a base for overseas expansion, Deloitte China said, highlighting the city’s role as a gateway for outbound growth. The findings were released alongside a new “going global” handbook and the launch of a dedicated task force in Hong Kong to support mainland firms expanding overseas. Deloitte noted that mainland firms use Hong Kong not only for financing needs but also for international management, governance and pa

Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) has appointed 10 asset managers to oversee the 2025 capital batch of its New CIES investment portfolio under the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, with the pool expected to reach at least HKD3bn(USD390m), HKIC said. The appointed firms cover venture capital, private equity, private credit and hedge fund strategies and include Abax Global Capital, Beyond Ventures, CMC Capital, FirstLight Capital, Hidden Hill Capital, M Capital, Polymer

The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has proposed a new risk mitigation accounting model that could give investors greater transparency into how banks manage portfolio-level risks such as interest-rate movements. The IASB has opened a public consultation on the proposal, which could result in amendments to IFRS 9 Financial Instruments and related IFRS 7 disclosure requirements. IASB chair Andreas Barckow said the aim of risk mitigation accounting is to better a

Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) has launched its first Singapore VCC fund for family offices, using the city’s Variable Capital Company structure, an umbrella regime that allows multiple ring-fenced sub-funds with distinct strategies. The fund will be run by UBP’s Singapore discretionary portfolio management team and can invest across public markets and alternatives, including hedge funds and private markets, while also allocating to third-party managers. UBP said it is targeting

Japan’s Daiwa Securities Group will make a minority investment of about JPY5bn(USD32m) in Ambit Wealth, strengthening the Daiwa Ambit Wealth investment partnership in India’s fast-expanding wealth sector, the Nikkei reported. Ambit Wealth, which serves ultra-high-net-worth clients and family offices, had assets under management and advice nearing USD10bn as of 31 March 2025, according to Daiwa. Daiwa said it aims to share its portfolio-strategy and marketing expertise with Am

Vietnam’s investment banks are expanding hiring in anticipation of a major Vietnam IPO wave after FTSE Russell confirmed in October it will upgrade Vietnam to secondary emerging-market status effective 21 September 2026, pending a March 2026 review. VnDirect plans to lift investment-banking headcount 20%–30% over the next 12–18 months, while Vietcap may increase staffing by up to 40% next year. Dragon Capital forecasts more than USD40bn in IPO proceeds during 2026–2028, a sha

China is expected to maintain a China 2026 growth target of around 5%, according to government advisers and analysts, a goal requiring continued fiscal and monetary support as authorities attempt to counter deflation pressures and a prolonged property slump. Most advisers surveyed by Reuters favoured a 5% target, though some suggested a 4.5%–5.0% range. The target is likely to be endorsed at the Central Economic Work Conference later this month, ahead of confirmation at the a

The global family office market reached USD19.09bn in 2024 and is projected to expand to USD42.76bn by 2037, reflecting a 6.4% compound annual growth rate from 2025, according to Research Nester. The report said ultra-wealthy families are increasing demand for investment management, governance structures and succession planning. North America is expected to account for 44% of the global family office market by 2037, while Asia Pacific is forecast to grow strongly as family of

The Cheng family Rosewood sale is being explored as Hong Kong tycoon Henry Cheng Kar-shun seeks potential buyers for selected assets within the family’s luxury Rosewood Hotel Group, Bloomberg reported. Representatives for the Chengs have approached prospective investors to gauge interest, though discussions remain preliminary and terms may shift. Rosewood is owned by the family’s private investment arm, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, and is overseen by Cheng’s daughter, Sonia Che

China’s central bank has intensified concerns over China stablecoin AML risk, warning that stablecoins fail to meet mainland requirements on customer identification and anti-money-laundering controls. Following a multi-agency meeting, the People’s Bank of China reiterated that virtual-currency activity constitutes illegal financial conduct and can facilitate fraud, money laundering and unauthorised cross-border flows. The statement complicates Hong Kong’s efforts to build a r

Standard Chartered has lifted its China 2026 GDP forecast to 4.6% from 4.3%, citing resilient exports and ongoing productivity improvements, according to a research note dated 1 December. The bank said China’s export competitiveness has strengthened following easing trade tensions with the US after both sides reached a truce. It added that better total factor productivity should further support the China 2026 GDP forecast, with the government expected to set a growth target b

Southeast Asia family conglomerates remain central to the region’s economic landscape, particularly in Indonesia and the Philippines, but must adapt as returns weaken, Singapore’s Business Times reported, citing academics and advisers. Experts highlighted three urgent priorities: expanding into growth sectors, introducing professional leadership, and strengthening early succession planning. An EY-Parthenon analysis of 36 listed regional conglomerates showed that average annua

Analysts expect the Malaysia banking sector to maintain resilient earnings following the latest reporting season, although net interest margins declined sequentially for most lenders and may remain under pressure into the first half of fiscal 2026. Kenanga Research said system loans rose 5.4% year-on-year in October, aligning with its 2025 target of around 5.5%, while deposits grew 3.7% as customers shifted to shorter-tenure fixed deposits ahead of festive-season liquidity ne

Citigroup has appointed Yuko Nakayama as head of equity capital markets for its Japan investment banking franchise, strengthening its Japan equity capital markets franchise as competition intensifies for dealmaking talent. Effective immediately, Nakayama will lead the Japan ECM team and report to Taiji Nagasaka and Akira Kiyota, with matrix reporting to Harish Raman and Kenneth Chow. Nakayama previously worked at Citi from 2009 to 2015 before moving to Goldman Sachs and later