Standard Chartered digital assets Asia strategy is expanding with the appointment of Karby Leggett as head of digital assets for Greater China, North Asia, South Asia and ASEAN. Leggett will join the bank’s Digital Assets Centre of Excellence while continuing as global head of the official institutions group under the research division. The bank said the appointment reflects growing institutional interest in tokenised finance, stablecoins and digital‑asset ecosystems. Standar

Hong Kong family office gold hub ambitions may benefit from escalating Middle East tensions as investors consider shifting assets away from the region, analysts said. Market strategist Kenny Tang said Hong Kong could attract funds that might otherwise flow to Dubai, citing the city’s deep capital markets and free capital flows. The Hong Kong family office gold hub strategy follows the government’s latest budget pledging tax incentives for bullion trading, expanded vault capac

Hong Kong budget family offices initiatives aim to strengthen the city’s appeal to global investors through tax expansion, infrastructure upgrades and digital finance development, according to IQ-EQ managing director Clare Chang. She said widening eligibility to include funds-of-one and recognising assets such as digital tokens and precious metals reflects how wealthy families structure portfolios combining private equity, private credit, real assets and co-investments. The H

Korea business environment guide published by the Korea Enterprises Federation aims to help foreign institutions and investors better understand the country’s regulatory and economic landscape. The English-language booklet titled 2026 Business Environment and Labor Market in Korea outlines major economic policies, labour regulations and recent statistics. KEF said the Korea business environment guide has been distributed to about 250 organisations worldwide including the OECD

China GDP growth target 2026 was set at 4.5% to 5% in Premier Li Qiang’s annual work report to parliament, signalling policymakers’ readiness to accept slower expansion amid economic headwinds. The target is slightly below the around 5% goal used in the past three years as officials confront weak domestic demand, a prolonged property downturn and external uncertainty. Analysts said the China GDP growth target 2026 reflects a shift toward more realistic medium-term growth mana

Raffles Family Office platform for Asian asset managers will be launched through a venture called Quantive Partners in partnership with wealth-tech firm GoUpscale and consultancy Synpulse. The privacy-first Raffles Family Office platform aims to reduce fragmentation caused by multiple custodians, portfolio tools and data sources while improving data integrity, risk visibility and client engagement. Raffles Family Office will act as anchor partner, GoUpscale will build the res

Chinese lenders Middle East exposure is being reduced as financial firms curb lending risks linked to the escalating Iran conflict, Bloomberg News reported citing people familiar with the matter. One major Chinese bank has restricted drawdowns on a bilateral loan to an Abu Dhabi government-linked financial institution, while a mid-sized lender is seeking buyers for parts of syndicated loans to Middle Eastern borrowers. Asian and Chinese banks extended more than USD15bn of loa

Hong Kong and Macau financial infrastructure cooperation has expanded after the two regions’ monetary authorities signed a revised memorandum of understanding covering broader collaboration. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority said the updated pact extends beyond banking supervision to include financial infrastructure linkages, information exchange on currency and statistics, and industry training. HKMA Chief Executive Eddie Yue said the agreement deepens collaboration as both c

Indonesia outlook negative Fitch decision reflects rising concerns about policy credibility and fiscal risks even as the rating agency affirmed the country’s BBB long-term foreign-currency rating. Fitch said increasing policy uncertainty and more centralised decision-making could weaken fiscal guardrails, including the 3% of GDP deficit cap. The agency also highlighted risks from a review of the State Finance Law in the government’s 2026 legislative priorities. The Indonesia

Family offices frontier science investing is accelerating as wealthy Asian families expand allocations to sectors such as space technology and longevity biotech. The Venture Network founder Lachezar Zanev said younger heirs are increasingly pursuing both outsized returns and social impact through emerging scientific industries. Lower launch costs and improving satellite capabilities, alongside biotech advances moving toward clinical applications, are widening the opportunity

Hong Kong family office tax exemptions could widen as authorities seek to strengthen the city’s position as a global wealth hub. Financial Services and the Treasury Secretary Christopher Hui said the government plans to expand profits-tax exemptions for eligible family offices and funds to include assets such as private credit, gold and commodities, carbon credits, insurance-linked securities and certain digital assets. The Hong Kong family office tax exemptions proposal will

South Korea banks emergency support programmes were activated after escalating Middle East tensions increased risks for financial markets and companies. Hana Financial Group said it would provide KRW12tr (USD8.2bn) in assistance including emergency liquidity of up to KRW500m per firm, loan-maturity extensions, grace periods and rate reductions. Woori Financial also tightened monitoring and strengthened cybersecurity checks. Regulators said broader market stabilisation steps w

China tax crackdown unified market efforts intensified in 2025 as the State Taxation Administration investigated 389 leads related to illegal tax practices linked to local investment incentives and corrected confirmed violations. Authorities also strengthened tax information reporting rules for internet platforms, with more than 8,000 platforms now complying in a move aimed at improving competition between online and offline businesses. The China tax crackdown unified market

Hong Kong independent wealth managers model changes are accelerating as private banks tighten compliance requirements and ultra‑rich clients demand broader advisory expertise. Industry executives ahead of the Hubbis Independent Wealth Management Forum Hong Kong 2026 said banks are institutionalising client relationships with heavier onboarding including source‑of‑wealth checks. The Hong Kong independent wealth managers model shift reflects growing demand from families for gov

Hong Kong MPF gold ETF investment may become possible as the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority studies expanding permitted asset classes. Chair Ayesha Macpherson Lau said regulators are reviewing whether MPF schemes can invest in gold exchange‑traded funds as Hong Kong seeks to develop a gold trading hub. The Hong Kong MPF gold ETF proposal follows a completed review of REIT investments including those listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen, while the eMPF platform rollout

Asian banks Gulf lending exposure is facing renewed uncertainty as escalating tensions linked to Iran raise risks for financing activity in the Middle East, Bloomberg reported. Asian and Chinese banks extended more than USD15bn of loans to the region last year, triple the previous year, with most funding directed to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Analysts said some lenders may take a wait‑and‑see approach or demand higher pricing rather than exit deals if tensions remain contained

Singapore South Korea FTA upgrade talks will begin as both countries deepen cooperation on supply‑chain resilience, digital trade and the green transition, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said during a summit with President Lee Jae Myung. The Singapore South Korea FTA upgrade will modernise the 2006 agreement and strengthen collaboration in areas including artificial intelligence and civil nuclear energy. Leaders also witnessed the signing of memorandums covering technology and

Asia family offices multi hub model adoption is accelerating as wealthy families diversify geographic bases across Singapore, Hong Kong and the UAE, according to advisers and IQ‑EQ research. Asia accounts for about 30% of the world’s single‑family offices, with roughly 40% formed over the past 15 years as new wealth expands rapidly and governance needs deepen. The Asia family offices multi hub model is driven by rising allocations to alternatives such as private equity, real

Hong Kong investment immigration scheme demand is rising as the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme received 3,166 applications implying about HKD95bn (USD12.2bn) of investment commitments, Invest Hong Kong said. More than 1,760 applicants have completed investments and obtained formal approval from the Immigration Department. Nearly 40% of deployed capital, or HKD21.4bn, went into Securities and Futures Commission‑approved funds while HKD16.1bn or 29% was invested in equit

Hong Kong Shanghai digital trade finance cooperation advanced after the two cities signed a memorandum of understanding to research digital technologies for cross‑border trade and cargo data integration. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority said partners will study electronic bills of lading and test digital solutions under Project Ensemble. The Hong Kong Shanghai digital trade finance initiative involves the Shanghai Data Bureau and the National Technology Innovation Center for