China virtual currency restrictions will be tightened further as authorities reiterated that crypto assets lack the same legal status as fiat money and that related business activities amount to illegal financial activities, according to a notice released by the central bank and other agencies. Officials said that without official approval, domestic entities and the overseas entities they control are prohibited from issuing virtual currencies overseas, underscoring Beijing’s

South Korea Indonesia cross-border QR payments are set to launch in April 2026, enabling visitors to pay at merchants in either country using domestic QR apps, Bank Indonesia said. The Indonesian central bank and the Bank of Korea reviewed progress on the interlinkage and agreed to keep working closely as they move toward launch. Talks began in 2023 and led to a memorandum of understanding signed in July 2024, with the service operating alongside the Local Currency Transactio

Vietnam business formation January data showed a surge in activity as nearly 24,200 new firms were registered and more than 24,500 businesses resumed operations, signalling improving confidence as the economy recovers, official data showed. Total registered capital for new firms rose to VND180.9tr (USD7.1tr), while registered employment increased to about 108,200, the National Statistics Office said. However, average capital per newly formed company fell to VND7.5bn, and addi

A Hong Kong family office AI venture fund is backing a new artificial intelligence vehicle launched by former SenseTime managing director Esther Wong, the founder said. Wong’s firm, 3C AGI Partners, is targeting up to USD100m by March after raising USD50m at a first close in November. The fund will focus on so-called “picks and shovels” AI infrastructure, including hardware and data centres, and will steer clear of application-layer bets that Wong described as overvalued. VMS

Indonesia listing rules free float requirements are set to tighten after the stock exchange published draft proposals following a sharp sell-off that drew attention from index provider MSCI. Under the plan, companies with pre-listing market capitalisation above IDR50tr (USD3.8bn) would need a minimum free float of 15% at IPO, up from 10%, while smaller issuers would face higher thresholds. The draft also requires issuers to maintain the minimum free float for at least one yea

The Consensus Hong Kong Web3 conference will open at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with an opening address from Chief Executive John Lee, organisers said. Positioned as a deal-making hub for crypto, blockchain and AI in Asia, the event follows a sold-out debut and aims to connect investors, founders and policy voices from East and West. Organisers urged attendees to collect badges early and said press pass holders can access an opening party in Central, subj

China APEC trade growth accelerated during the 2021–2025 period, with total trade reaching RMB125.49tr (USD18.05tr), up 39.4% from the previous five years, official data showed. Trade in 2025 alone reached RMB26.29tr, accounting for nearly 60% of China’s total foreign trade, according to the first plenary meeting of the 2026 APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures held in Guangzhou. Zhao Zenglian, a deputy head of China’s General Administration of Customs, said the Asia-Paci

Asia family offices private equity exposure is set to increase as volatility in public markets pushes investors towards longer-term, less correlated returns, a Schroders Wealth Management survey showed. The poll of 60 family office executives in Singapore, Hong Kong, and across Southeast Asia and India found 52% plan to raise private equity allocations over the next three years, ahead of public equities at 38%, hedge funds at 33%, and bonds and real estate at 22% each. Schro

Asian middle-class financial anxiety is widespread, with more than 70% of consumers worried about their overall financial wellbeing, according to a survey by insurer FWD Group conducted with Ipsos. The pan-Asian poll of more than 9,000 consumers aged 21 to 65 across 10 markets found 71% were concerned about overall financial wellbeing and rising everyday living costs, 43% about high healthcare expenses, and 37% about unexpected job loss or income drops. Reflecting a shorter p

Hong Kong Fintech 2030 plan initiatives will focus on more advanced applications of artificial intelligence and distributed ledger technology, backed by high-performance computing, as the city seeks to strengthen its fintech ecosystem. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority said the blueprint includes four flagship projects covering areas such as quantum computing, risk data, cybersecurity, and skills development, alongside events, competitions, platform upgrades, and hands-on work

Singapore digital payments growth is projected to lift transaction volumes to USD113.7bn by 2030, up from USD39.4bn in 2023, as the city leads Southeast Asia in adoption and funding and younger consumers accelerate the shift to cashless transactions, according to a report by the Singapore FinTech Association and PwC. The report said Singapore’s payments sector raised more than USD319m in the first nine months of 2025, exceeding the combined funding of several regional peers.

Hong Kong IPO rebound momentum is being pitched as a draw for family offices, with advisers citing liquidity, a strong listings pipeline and a more supportive tax regime. IPO fundraising ranked first globally in 2025 at HKD285.8bn (USD36.6bn), and more than 300 companies have filed to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, PwC said, projecting about 150 IPOs in 2026 that could raise HKD320bn–HKD350bn. Supporters point to cornerstone buying by long-term institutions, including

Singapore private debt market growth is drawing another global asset manager, as Australian pension-fund-owned IFM Investors prepares to open an office in the city-state in March, sources said. The move underscores Singapore’s push to build scale in the USD1.7tr private credit market and follows IFM’s partnership with the Australian government to pursue Southeast Asia investments. It comes as Singapore sees an influx of private credit managers, with Sixth Street Partners open

Singapore safe-harbour rules are being proposed to make it easier for listed companies to publish earnings guidance, as regulators seek feedback on amendments to the Securities and Futures Act and draft rules for a new Global Listing Board to facilitate dual listings. The proposal would introduce US-style protections for forward-looking statements. Market observers said more projections could improve transparency and narrow information gaps, but warned investors must test ass

Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone plans were reaffirmed by Malaysia and Singapore as a central pillar of bilateral economic ties, with both sides saying the initiative is shifting from planning to implementation to attract high-value investments and create jobs. The recommitment followed talks in Kuala Lumpur between Malaysia’s Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir and Singapore’s National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat. Malaysia is finalising an investment blue

Family offices AI investment is now centred on artificial intelligence, but exposure remains concentrated in big-cap listed stocks rather than infrastructure, a survey by JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s private bank found. Of 333 single family offices across 30 countries, 65% cited AI as their top theme, ahead of healthcare innovation, infrastructure and cybersecurity. Yet average allocations to venture capital and growth equity were just 3.3%, and more than half reported none. The po

Hong Kong GDP growth forecast has been raised by Citi to 3.2% for 2026, the bank’s second upgrade in about two weeks and a cumulative increase of 0.7 percentage points. Citi said the economy kept recovering in the fourth quarter, with strong investment growth and steadily improving consumption pushing domestic demand beyond expectations. It added the rebound is broad-based across finance, property and retail. Citi expects residential home prices to rise 8% this year and sees

Hong Kong Switzerland financial dialogue talks were held in Bern as the two sides convened their eighth Financial Dialogue to deepen cooperation in financial services and discuss policy challenges, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority said. Co-organised by the HKMA and Switzerland’s State Secretariat for International Finance, the meeting was chaired by HKMA deputy chief executive Darryl Chan and SIF deputy state secretary Christoph König, with officials from the Swiss National B

Japanese investment in Thailand is set to continue as companies plan to keep investing despite labour shortages and high costs, according to a survey cited by Thailand’s Board of Investment. Of 520 firms surveyed, 23% said they aim to expand operations as they expect the economy to improve in the first half of 2026, while 35% expect exports to rise and 26% plan to establish regional offices. BoI secretary-general Narit Therdsteerasukdi said Thailand remains Japan’s key long-t

Hong Kong OTC clearing periods could be permanently standardised from 2027 under a joint proposal by the Securities and Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. The regulators launched a consultation to fix the annual calculation periods used under the city’s OTC derivatives clearing regime, aiming to reduce frequent rule changes. If adopted, the rules would designate two fixed windows each year—March 1 to May 31 and September 1 to November 30—giving market pa