Raffles Family Office CEO Kwan Chi-man said that multi-family offices can leverage their scale to become influential market players and create lasting global impact. Speaking at the firm’s annual forum in Hong Kong, he noted that these organisations can expand assets under management, nurture local talent, and strengthen Hong Kong’s reputation as a top wealth management hub. Raffles Family Office also plans to broaden its Middle East presence and will host its first family of

HSBC Holdings has offered to purchase the remaining 37% of Hang Seng Bank that it does not already own for about USD37bn, reinforcing its long-term commitment to Hong Kong. The proposed cash offer of HKD155 (USD19.8) per share represents a 30% premium over Hang Seng’s previous closing price, the London-based lender said on Thursday. If approved, the transaction would see Hang Seng’s publicly traded shares cancelled, taking the bank private. HSBC, which currently holds a 63% s

IMF global economy outlook shows resilience but continuing fragility, according to Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva ahead of the Fund’s annual meetings in Washington. She said global growth is performing better than expected, supported by sounder policy fundamentals and private-sector adaptability. However, persistent uncertainty and trade tariffs continue to weigh on the outlook. The IMF projects medium-term global growth at around 3%, below pre-pandemic averages. Geor

Hong Kong family office incentives are being expanded as the city steps up its efforts to attract global wealth and strengthen its financial ecosystem. Financial Services Secretary Christopher Hui announced that new legislation will be introduced next year to extend tax concessions to carbon credits and digital assets, while also expanding eligible investments to private credit. Hong Kong aims to help 220 family offices establish or expand operations between 2026 and 2028, su

Fasset Islamic crypto bank has received regulatory approval from Malaysia’s Labuan FSA, becoming the world’s first Shariah-compliant digital bank powered by stablecoins. The UAE-based fintech will expand from digital asset services to full-scale on-chain banking through its superapp, offering zero-interest accounts and access to US stocks, gold, and cryptocurrencies. With over 500,000 users across 125 countries, the platform currently handles USD6bn in annualised volume and a

The UK-Vietnam Business Summit 2025 will focus on deepening bilateral cooperation in finance and renewable energy. Scheduled for 5 November in Ho Chi Minh City, the event aims to strengthen collaboration in developing an international financial centre and advancing clean energy projects. UK Consul General Alexandra Smith said the partnership builds on the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and the UK’s entry into the CPTPP, which removed tariffs on 99% of UK exports to Vietnam.

Growing AI investment anxiety in South Korea is driving fears among investors about missing out on new technology opportunities. A Korea Press Foundation survey of 1,000 respondents revealed that 59.1% felt uneasy about lagging behind in AI investment trends, with anxiety peaking among those in their 30s at 64.5%. Around 67.2% feared not gaining AI-related work skills, while 54.9% expressed concern over the fast-rising AI education boom. Researchers said the findings highligh

The World Family Office Forum Asia opens on 9–10 October at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, bringing together family principals, single and multi-family office leaders, and advisers for two days of private discussions focused on governance and investment strategy. The event, organised by Connect Group, aims for at least 70% participation from family offices to ensure peer-led dialogue. The sixth edition will feature sessions on global investment trends, public market allocations

Black Spade Capital, the family office of Melco Resorts chairman Lawrence Ho, has opened the 15,000-square-foot iRad Hospital inside Studio City in Macau — the world’s first integrated resort hospital equipped with MRI and CT scan facilities. The iRad Hospital project marks a significant milestone for Lawrence Ho’s family office as it aligns with Macau’s “1+4” economic diversification strategy to develop non-gaming sectors such as healthcare, tourism, and innovation. The faci

Hong Kong’s Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) surpassed HKD1.5tr (USD192bn) in total assets for the first time at the end of September, reaching a record HKD1.53tr, according to provisional data from the MPF Schemes Authority. Equity and mixed-asset funds, which account for nearly 80% of total assets, posted average net returns of 18.8% and 10.6%, respectively, over the past year. The Core Accumulation Fund under the Default Investment Strategy achieved a 9.8% return for the sam

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia’s economy has shifted from a phase of uncertainty to one of recovery, progressing from defensive stabilisation policies to proactive structural reform. Speaking at the Khazanah Megatrends Forum 2025, Anwar highlighted that growth remains steady, inflation controlled, and unemployment low, but warned of the need to prepare for future global disruptions. He stressed that Malaysia’s fiscal consolidation is guided by prudent stewardship

Raffles Family Office has strengthened its Hong Kong presence with the appointments of Michael Tung as Managing Director and Jennie Liang...

Hong Kong is preparing a new round of stock exchange reforms aimed at expanding access for smaller and more diverse companies, with multiple voting rights, to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The proposed Hong Kong listing reforms, announced by Salina Yan Mei-mei, Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, seek to lower qualification thresholds and widen eligibility across industries while maintaining listing quality. Yan told lawmakers that simplifying

Singapore’s digital economy 2025 expanded to SGD128.1bn (USD99bn) in 2024, accounting for 18.6% of GDP, up from 18.0% in 2023 and 14.9% in 2019, according to the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) latest report. The Infocomm Media Development Authority said more than two-thirds of the digital economy’s output came from non-Information & Communications sectors, led by finance and insurance, wholesale trade, and manufacturing. SME digital adoption climbed to 95.1%, w

Thailand has unveiled a new plan to simplify stock-listing rules and attract more international investors as part of its drive to...

Hong Kong’s wealth management hub continues to strengthen as it leverages deep financial ties with mainland China and benefits from...

Hong Kong will host its first Women Finance Leaders Summit on 3 November, convening more than 200 senior executives including global CEOs...

Singapore banks are intensifying their asset tokenisation initiatives to boost efficiency and competitiveness, though regulatory and...

Vietnam’s economy likely expanded 8.22% year-on-year in the third quarter, driven by a 10% rise in manufacturing and recoveries in mining...

Indies Capital private credit strategy gained momentum as the Singapore-based firm closed its fourth fund, Indies Special Opportunities...