Family offices are increasingly turning to external specialists to strengthen cyber defences as digital threats become more sophisticated, according to new research from Ocorian. The family office cybersecurity outsourcing study surveyed 200 family office executives and family members overseeing a combined USD119.4bn in wealth and found that 43% had experienced a cyberattack during the past two years. Despite rising risks, significant gaps remain. Around 18% of respondents sa

Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission will introduce tougher compliance requirements for brokers, asset managers and other capital market intermediaries as part of a broader effort to combat financial crime. The Thailand mule accounts crackdown will take effect on Aug. 16 and is designed to strengthen safeguards against money laundering, cyber-enabled fraud and the misuse of investment accounts. Under the new rules, firms will be required to enhance customer due dilig

Singapore must strengthen its position not only as a global financial centre but also as a trusted AI finance hub, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said at the launch of DBS Group Research’s report, The Trusted AI Financial Hub. He argued that future financial centres will increasingly be judged by their ability to deploy artificial intelligence responsibly while maintaining trust, security and strong governance. The report ranked Singapore among the world’s leading AI-read

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has upgraded its South Korea growth forecast for 2026 to 2.6% from 1.7%, citing robust semiconductor exports driven by the global artificial intelligence boom. The revised South Korea growth forecast reflects expectations that strong chip demand will continue supporting exports, investment and broader economic activity. The OECD noted that South Korea’s exports surged 53% year on year to a monthly record of USD87.8bn

Hong Kong FinTech Week 2026 will return from Nov. 2 to 6 and is expected to attract more than 45,000 participants from over 120 economies, reinforcing the city’s position as a leading global financial technology centre. The Hong Kong FinTech Week 2026 programme will feature its main conference at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Nov. 2 and 3. Organisers said the event will bring together more than 1,000 speakers, 800 sponsors, exhibitors and start-ups, as wel

Families across Asia are increasingly moving away from traditional property-based wealth transfers and introducing younger generations to investing through stocks, funds and insurance products. The Asian inheritance planning trend reflects changing attitudes towards wealth preservation and long-term financial growth. In South Korea, Choi Nam-joon gave his eight-year-old son three Samsung Electronics shares worth KRW500,000 (USD332) as a birthday gift, saying the investment wa

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission will undertake a comprehensive review of rules governing online investment commentators and content creators as digital platforms increasingly influence investment decisions. The Hong Kong financial influencers review was confirmed by Eric Yip Chee-hang, executive director of the SFC’s intermediaries division. Yip told lawmakers that the regulator began engaging with industry participants last year to assess whether changes to lic

Schroders Wealth Management has appointed Sharon Sim as Head of Business Development for Asia as the firm continues expanding its regional wealth-management platform. The Schroders Asia business development role will be based in Singapore and will focus on identifying growth opportunities, strengthening client relationships and building strategic partnerships across the region. The appointment follows the recent naming of Evonne Tan as chief executive for Asia and reinforces

Hong Kong’s new cross-border yacht framework could transform luxury vessels into more liquid and practical Greater Bay Area assets for family offices and high-net-worth individuals. The Hong Kong yacht reforms follow a State Council directive issued on May 29 exempting Hong Kong and Macao-registered yachts from customs guarantees at designated mainland ports. Under the new Hong Kong yacht reforms, eligible yachts can enter ports in nine Greater Bay Area cities without cancell

Family offices are looking to reduce exposure to North American assets and increase allocations to China, Asia and western Europe as geopolitical tensions, debt concerns and uncertainty over the US dollar reshape investment strategies, according to UBS. The family office China allocation findings come from the bank’s Global Family Office Report 2026 covering 307 family offices across more than 30 markets. Although North America remains the largest regional allocation at 52%,

Hong Kong has experienced stronger investment activity following recent conflicts in the Middle East, according to Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po. The Hong Kong capital inflows trend has been supported by international investors seeking stability and access to Asian markets. Chan told lawmakers that European and American investors accounted for approximately 40% of inflows into Hong Kong’s stock market rally since September 2024, while Southbound Stock Connect contribute

DBS plans to open 18 new and upgrade 36 existing locations across Asia-Pacific by the end of 2027 in what the bank described as its largest physical expansion of wealth services to date. The DBS wealth centres expansion will cover Singapore, Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia and Taiwan. The first locations under the DBS wealth centres expansion are expected to open in the third quarter of 2026. DBS said the programme will increase its Treasures wealth-centre footprint in Sin

Family offices managing billions of dollars are becoming increasingly cautious about geopolitical tensions, sovereign debt risks and the long-term role of the US dollar while continuing to increase exposure to artificial intelligence investments, according to the latest UBS Global Family Office Report. The family office asset allocation survey covered 307 family offices with average assets under management of USD1.3bn. UBS found that 64% of respondents view geopolitical confl

HSBC chief executive Georges Elhedery and other senior executives are personally engaging with clients in Hong Kong as the bank seeks to revive its underperforming investment banking operations, according to Bloomberg. The HSBC investment banking Hong Kong initiative includes direct client outreach, personalised communications and stronger engagement with key corporate relationships across the Greater Bay Area. Elhedery has reportedly marketed projects directly to clients, se

Asia-Pacific’s affluent investors remain broadly optimistic despite geopolitical tensions, inflation pressures and market volatility, according to research by private bank Lombard Odier. The Asia wealthy investors survey covered more than 390 high-net-worth individuals across regional markets and found confidence remains strong despite growing uncertainty. Recession was identified as the leading concern by 53.5% of respondents, followed by worries about a major equity-market

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing said 62 companies completed listings in Hong Kong during the first five months of 2026, highlighting renewed momentum in the city’s capital markets. The HKEX new listings data also showed that approximately 500 listing applications are currently under review, indicating a substantial pipeline of prospective issuers. As of May 29, Hong Kong had 2,726 listed companies, including 2,419 on the main board and 307 on GEM. During the same period, 22

Family offices in China are shifting from rapid expansion towards higher-quality development as the country prepares for what industry executives describe as the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in its history. The China family office wealth transfer wave is expected to involve more than RMB20tr (USD2.8tr) over the next decade, according to a white paper released by WRISE Group and research firm Puyi Standard. WRISE said the China family office wealth transfer trend

Global investors are showing renewed interest in Chinese assets as rapid technological advances and lower valuations draw attention back to the world’s second-largest economy, according to JPMorgan research. The China asset investment survey found that 57% of investors were considering exposure to China, up from 51% a year earlier. Kwang Kam Shing, JPMorgan’s chairwoman for North Asia, said foreign investment allocations into Hong Kong and mainland China remain historically l

Hong Kong plans to launch a new gold-clearing system by July, moving ahead of Singapore in the race to become Asia’s leading bullion trading hub. The Hong Kong gold clearing initiative is expected to improve liquidity and strengthen the city’s role in regional gold pricing, supported by large bullion flows linked to mainland China, the world’s largest gold consumer. Hong Kong is also expanding its bullion infrastructure. SF Holding plans to develop a vault near the airport, w