Hex Trust and Fireblocks crypto custody collaboration is targeting institutional clients across Asia and the Middle East as regulators tighten rules on how virtual assets are held. Under the strategic deal, Hong Kong-based Hex Trust will act as a qualified, locally licensed custodian on the Fireblocks Custody Network in key markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore and the UAE. The arrangement allows banks, brokers and fintech firms to combine Fireblocks’ transaction and wallet te

A new Global AI Competitiveness Index flags a widening governance gap as the European Union emerges as the world’s de facto rule setter for artificial intelligence while the United States and China retain an edge in deployment. The Global AI Competitiveness Index, which tracks AI governance and regulation across about 25 jurisdictions and includes Hong Kong’s Financial Services Development Council as an observer, identifies three competing models: the EU’s rights based AI Act

Hong Kong financial centre advantages in liquidity and law are in focus as the city competes with rival hubs in a volatile macroenvironment. Bankers highlighted Hong Kong’s role as a fundraising hub, with the market raising HKD216bn (USD28bn) from IPOs in the first 10 months of 2025 and tipped by some to reclaim the top global listing spot, even though its stock market currently ranks only fifth worldwide by size. Speakers at a recent Financial Times conference pointed to dee

South Korea economic recovery momentum is strengthening on the back of heavy fiscal spending and firmer exports, according to finance minister Koo Yun-cheol, who pledged fresh measures to spread gains beyond Seoul. He told a meeting of economic ministers that consumer demand is improving, supported by government “consumption coupon” schemes, while 26 major public institutions plan to raise investment this year to KRW69tr (USD47bn) from an original KRW66tr budgeted for infrast

Global wealthy families are increasingly turning to Hong Kong family offices as a base to access private investments in mainland China, particularly in electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, biotech, and selectively in real estate, according to Swiss family office platform Club Estate. The Zurich-based firm, which manages about 700m Swiss francs (USD884m) and operates in Luxembourg, Singapore, and Hong Kong, said clients are also diversifying away from US dollar assets i

A sharper-than-expected Japan GDP decline of an annualised 1.8% in Q3 marked the country’s first economic contraction in six quarters, driven by slumping exports to the US under higher tariffs and weaker housing investment. The fall, though milder than predicted, showed net external demand shaving 0.2 percentage point off growth, while private consumption inched up 0.1% and capital spending rose 1%, reflecting uneven domestic momentum. Economists view the setback as temporary

More than 100 global investors from Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, Europe, and the UK will convene in Ho Chi Minh City on 3–4 December for the Vietnam 2.0 investor conference, a two-day event aimed at channelling long-term foreign capital into Vietnam. Organised by Dynam Capital, Vantage Point Asset Management, and Shinec Vietnam, the event—titled “Vietnam 2.0 – Unlocking the Next Growth Phase”—will spotlight opportunities in infrastructure, energy, environment, tech

Hong Kong property valuations are under intensified scrutiny as the city’s deepest real estate downturn since the Asian financial crisis prompts the banking regulator to monitor risks more closely. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has increased its oversight of lenders’ refinancing decisions involving stressed developers such as Lai Sun Development, urging continued credit support while reviewing exposure to commercial property loans, which account for about 8% of HKD10tr (US

Blue Pool Capital private equity fund ambitions are expanding as the Hong Kong-based family office of Alibaba co-founder Joseph Tsai launches fundraising for its first private equity vehicle open to external investors, with a target of USD750m. The Riverside fund will pursue majority or minority stakes in mid-sized businesses valued at USD100m to USD1bn across high-end retail, fintech, digital banking, payments, and AI-enabled software. The move marks a strategic shift for Bl

Adams Street Partners Hong Kong office plans are advancing as the USD65bn private markets manager opens a new location to strengthen coverage of institutional, family office, and wealth clients across Asia-Pacific. The office, which will commence operations upon licensing, aims to enhance local deal sourcing and client engagement amid rising regional demand for diversified access to global private markets alongside domestic opportunities. The firm said the Adams Street Partne

UBS has partnered with Ant International to trial UBS tokenised deposits and real-time cross-border payments, marking one of Asia’s most prominent bank–fintech collaborations in digital finance. Under an MoU signed in Singapore, Ant will integrate UBS Digital Cash—first piloted in 2024—with its Whale blockchain treasury platform to test multi-currency tokenised deposits enabling instant transfers across Ant’s global entities. The initiative aims to enhance settlement speed, t

A sharper-than-expected Thailand GDP drop in Q3 underscored mounting economic headwinds as weaker factory output and a softer tourism recovery dragged growth to 1.2% year-on-year, below the 1.6% forecast and down from 2.8% in the previous quarter. On a quarterly basis, GDP contracted 0.6%—the first decline since late 2022 and the steepest since mid-2021—as exports, manufacturing, construction, government spending, and tourism all lost momentum amid US tariffs and a tougher gl

Vietnam’s promotion to FTSE Russell secondary emerging market status is pushing global and Asia‑based family offices to shift the country from frontier exposure to core allocation, according to Das Family Office strategist Rainer Michael Preiss. Speaking at the Hubbis Vietnam Wealth Management Forum 2025, he said Vietnam is increasingly viewed as a structural ASEAN growth market alongside China and India. Preiss urged diversified exposure across listed equities, private equit

Family‑office backed Aquilius Investment Partners is expanding into Hong Kong as it steps up its Asia private equity secondaries strategy with the hire of former HarbourVest executive Martin Yung as managing director and head of private equity secondaries. The Singapore‑headquartered firm, founded in 2021, has already invested several hundred million dollars in GP‑led and LP‑led deals and expects to deploy well over USD500m a year in private equity secondaries over the medium

Hong Kong has renewed the contract of Securities and Futures Commission chief executive Julia Leung Fung‑yee for a further two years to the end of 2027, ensuring continuity as the markets watchdog advances regulatory and market reforms. Leung, who joined the SFC in 2015 and became CEO in January 2023 after serving as deputy CEO, previously held senior roles at the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and as Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury. The government said

The Singapore Exchange will launch Bitcoin and Ethereum perpetual futures on Nov.24, offering institutional, accredited and expert investors regulated access to crypto markets as digital assets gain adoption in portfolios. The contracts, benchmarked to iEdge CoinDesk Crypto Indices, will use a funding‑rate mechanism to keep prices aligned with underlying crypto benchmarks while providing continuous, no‑expiry exposure via SGX’s listed‑derivatives clearing and margin system. S

Revenue in Singapore’s accountancy sector rose 7.5% to SGD3.5bn (USD2.7bn) in 2024, with the Big Four accounting firms Singapore driving nearly half the increase, according to Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) AE Survey 2025. Industry takings grew by SGD244.5m, of which Deloitte, PwC, EY and KPMG contributed SGD112.5m, powered mainly by a 9.6% rise in audit and assurance income. The Big Four maintained dominance at about 70% of total industry revenue. Growt

Singapore has cemented its status as a top Singapore wealth hub, ranking alongside Dubai and New York in Savills’ latest index of high‑net‑worth hotspots. The city‑state scored strongly on economic competitiveness, connectivity and wealth infrastructure, underpinned by the absence of inheritance, capital gains and wealth taxes, and a 24% top marginal personal income tax rate. Savills placed Singapore third globally and the leading Asia‑Pacific market, ahead of Shanghai, Bangk

Cambodia’s Prince Group said it categorically rejects Prince Group scam allegations that founder Chen Zhi built an internet scam empire, after authorities in the US and several Asian and European markets moved to seize assets. The US Justice Department last month unsealed an indictment alleging one of Asia’s largest transnational criminal organisations and forced‑labour compounds in Cambodia used for online fraud. US investigators said they had seized about USD15bn in bitcoin

Asia’s family offices and next‑generation wealthy entrepreneurs are fuelling demand for Vista’s private aviation services as the group puts Japan and Southeast Asia at the centre of its 2026 plan. Vista, parent of VistaJet and XO, said Japan is its fastest‑growing market, with membership up 67% year on year in H1 2025, supported by outbound corporate investment and ultra‑rich clients seeking global mobility. Industry data show Japan is set to attract about 600 new high‑net‑wo