Asia-Pacific CRE investment hit USD40.3bn in the fourth quarter of 2025, up 15% from a year earlier, as full-year volumes rose 12% to USD147.6bn, their strongest showing since 2021, helped by sale-and-leaseback deals and industrial exits, JLL said. Japan remained the region’s busiest market, logging USD9.8bn in Q4 and USD41.4bn for 2025, while South Korea’s Q4 volumes jumped 41% to USD7.7bn, lifting the annual total to USD28.1bn on demand for core offices and logistics. The l

South Korea ETF assets have surged alongside a buoyant local stock market, with total net assets jumping by nearly KRW50tr in about a month. Net assets of ETFs listed in the country stood at KRW354.74tr (USD246bn) as of Monday, after first topping KRW300tr on Jan. 5, data from the Korea Financial Investment Association showed. The figure rose further to KRW356tr. About KRW228tr was invested in ETFs tracking domestic assets, while KRW128tr tracked overseas assets. Products lin

The IMF issued an IMF warning on China economic policies, urging Beijing to pivot toward domestic consumer spending and saying a shift to a consumption-led growth model should be the top priority, as the fund warned China’s large current-account surplus is creating adverse spillovers for trading partners, according to an IMF board statement alongside its annual Article IV review. The IMF said part of the external imbalance reflects export support from a real depreciation of t

Thailand said it wants to help reconnect Myanmar with ASEAN nearly five years after the 2021 coup, positioning itself as a Thailand Myanmar ASEAN bridge as Bangkok presses the junta to take steps toward dialogue and reduced violence in line with the bloc’s peace plan. Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said on Feb. 18 after talks with Myanmar Foreign Minister Than Swe in southern Thailand that Thailand wants to be a bridge back to ASEAN, urging Myanmar to avoid attac

Business units linked to Hong Kong billionaire Henry Cheng’s Chow Tai Fook Group agreed to pay up to HKD1.5bn (USD192m) to Giordano International shareholders after the Securities and Futures Commission found a Hong Kong takeover rules breach tied to the retailer’s ownership structure. The regulator said Chow Tai Fook Nominee and concert parties failed to make a mandatory general offer at HKD3.60 a share in 2016 when their combined stake topped 30%. It also cited a 2022 breac

Family offices are shifting from founder-led investing outfits into family office governance platforms as entrepreneurs look to turn liquidity into multi-generational stewardship, Santosh Keni, CEO of Pantheon Global Family Office, said in an interview with Hubbis. Keni said many principals mistake hiring professionals for building an institution, arguing the first step is defining purpose and putting durable governance around decision-making, oversight and succession so the

Singapore is cementing its lead as a hub for wealthy families as the Singapore family office boom gathers pace, with the number of single-family offices receiving tax incentives jumping from about 400 in 2020 to over 2,000 by end-2024, the Monetary Authority of Singapore said, helped by faster approvals and a competitive tax regime. Deloitte estimates there were about 8,030 single-family offices globally in 2024, rising to 10,720 by 2030, underscoring the industry’s rapid exp

WRISE Taiwan family wealth expansion is under way as the Singapore-based firm opens a new client service centre in Taipei to deepen coverage of a market where UHNW assets are expected to reach USD1.9tr by 2029. The WRISE Taiwan family wealth expansion will see the Xinyi District centre offer advisory and consultation services and host education and engagement programmes focused on intergenerational planning and next-generation dialogue. Group Executive Chairman Derrick Tan sa

Japan Q4 GDP growth returned to positive territory but badly missed forecasts, underscoring the policy challenge facing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as households grapple with high living costs and the Bank of Japan edges toward normalisation. Japan Q4 GDP growth rose an annualised 0.2% in October-December, versus a 1.6% median estimate, after a revised 2.6% contraction in the previous quarter, government data showed. On a quarterly basis GDP gained 0.1%. Private consumption

South Korea AI-for-investing patents are being driven mainly by startups and unlisted firms, signalling that venture-backed software companies are leading automation in financial investment, according to a report by the Korea Capital Market Institute. The report said nearly 70% of investment-related Korea AI-for-investing patents applications came from non-listed companies and startups, with software-as-a-service firms accounting for 67% of filings. Most applications targeted

Thailand 2026 growth forecast has been upgraded after the economy beat expectations in the fourth quarter, giving a boost to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s incoming administration. Thailand 2026 growth forecast was lifted after gross domestic product rose 2.5% year on year in October-December, accelerating from 1.2% in the previous quarter, the National Economic and Social Development Council said. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter basis, output jumped 1.9%, t

Asia-Pacific family office market growth is expected to outpace other regions as wealthy families expand cross-border portfolios and seek tighter control of complex structures, Research and Markets said in its Family Office Market Report 2026. The report forecast the global market will rise to USD21.55bn in 2026 from USD20.41bn in 2025, a 5.6% compound annual growth rate, and reach USD27.36bn by 2030. In Asia-Pacific, Asia-Pacific family office market growth is being driven b

Asia next-generation wealth transfer is reshaping how advisers work with families, as an intergenerational shift of up to USD5.8tr by 2030 changes decision-making, Maybank’s head of group wealth management Alice Tan said. The Asia next-generation wealth transfer reflects younger heirs’ overseas education and familiarity with financial markets, with some acting as chief investment officers within family offices. The shift is prompting advisers to move from directing portfolios

SBI Coinhako acquisition plans will make the Singapore digital-asset platform a consolidated subsidiary of the Japanese group, as SBI Holdings moves to expand its regional crypto footprint. Under the SBI Coinhako acquisition, SBI’s wholly owned unit SBI Ventures Asset Pte. Ltd. has signed a letter of intent with Holdbuild Pte. Ltd. to inject capital into Coinhako Group and buy shares from existing investors, with the final structure and price still under discussion and subjec

Vietnam credit-quota reform could reshape competition in the banking sector as the country pilots the removal of long-standing growth limits from 2026 and rolls out Basel III-style capital rules, S&P Global Ratings said. S&P said Vietnam credit-quota reform would shift the system away from administrative controls toward more market-based discipline, allowing well-capitalised banks to expand lending based on capacity rather than assigned quotas. However, it called the move a d

Dubai family offices are increasingly becoming a base for Asia’s wealthy families as family offices modernise their strategies, speakers said at the Family Office Summit. Organisers said the ecosystem now manages over USD1.2tr, as families push to separate legacy operating businesses from investment capital and professionalise decisions. Speakers said priorities are shifting from preservation to modernisation, with greater focus on AI, governance and new asset classes, includ

Malaysia’s 2026 outlook is improving as analysts point to resilient domestic demand, steady services activity and continued investment, even as external risks linger. Kenanga Research said momentum could deliver upside toward 5% growth in 2026 but kept its base forecast at 4.5%, citing a mixed export outlook despite firm semiconductor shipments and a policy push for industrial upgrading. Hong Leong Investment Bank raised its 2026 GDP forecast to 4.7%, above the finance minist

Bank of Singapore has hired an alternatives specialist to strengthen its ultra-high-net-worth offering as demand for customised products rises across Asia’s private wealth market. The OCBC-backed private bank appointed Bernard Heng as head of customised solutions, effective March 2, according to a statement. Heng will report to Lim Leong Guan, global head of the investment solutions group, and will lead the development and execution of complex products tailored to UHNW client

Private equity allocation by Asia family offices is set to rise as investors adapt to geopolitical risks and inflation, according to a 2026 global survey by J.P. Morgan Private Bank. The study covered 333 family offices across 30 countries, including key Asia hubs such as Singapore and Hong Kong, and found portfolios remain heavily tilted toward public equities and private investments, which together account for more than two-thirds of assets. About 37% of Asia family offices

Hong Kong CEOs revenue growth outlook outpaced global peers, with 98% expecting revenue to rise over the next three years, according to PwC’s 29th Global CEO Survey. The poll of 4,454 CEOs across 95 countries and territories found 87% globally forecast growth. More than half of Hong Kong chief executives, 58%, reported revenue increases from AI, while 17% said they achieved both revenue growth and cost reductions, above the 12% global average. PwC said 56% of Hong Kong CEOs c