The Asian Financial Forum opened in Hong Kong as global policymakers and finance executives gathered to discuss the global outlook and reinforce the city’s position as an international financial centre and a bridge between mainland China and global markets. The 19th Asian Financial Forum, co-organised by the Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, is being held under the theme “Co-creating New Horizons amid an Evolving Landscape” with the tagline “Fi

Thailand fund assets rose in 2025 as investors turned to safe havens, with strong performance in gold-related funds lifting the market. Thailand fund assets increased 1.67% to THB3.65tr (USD117bn) at end-2025, according to Morningstar Direct data shared with Asia Asset Management. Four Singapore-based Eastspring Investments funds, all gold-focused, topped performance rankings, led by the Eastspring Gold Bullion Retirement Mutual Fund – Currency Hedged, which returned 59.07%,

AI trade finance is set to move beyond digitising paperwork towards redesigning end-to-end processes, bank executives said at a Hong Kong forum during International Financial Week 2026. HSBC’s head of global trade solutions Raluca Popa said digitalisation often replicates existing workflows, while the next phase will require rethinking processes to expand access to financing. She said AI trade finance systems could connect directly to clients’ accounting or enterprise resourc

Hong Kong is in talks with South Korea on mutual ETF listings that would allow exchange-traded funds tracking each other’s stock markets, highlighting Hong Kong’s role as a gateway to global capital. Financial Secretary Paul Chan said about half of stock market capital comes from global institutional investors, with mainland China’s southbound flows and local investors each accounting for around a quarter. He added that more than 400 companies are in Hong Kong’s IPO pipeline,

Hong Kong Asia Financial Forum took centre stage as Chief Executive John Lee opened the two-day event by urging confidence despite heightened geopolitical tensions, positioning the city as a resilient international finance hub. Speaking at the Asia Financial Forum, Lee said “one country, two systems” underpins Hong Kong’s rule of law, free flow of capital and low-tax regime. He pointed to rising business activity, including a record 11,070 foreign- and Mainland-affiliated com

Federated Hermes Hong Kong office plans mark a further expansion of the US asset manager’s Asia-Pacific footprint as it seeks to deepen relationships with private banks, family offices and institutional investors. The firm said the Hong Kong office, announced at the Asia Financial Forum, is subject to regulatory approvals and will support a consultative distribution model across the region. Jim Roland, head of distribution for APAC, said a Hong Kong presence will allow Federa

Hong Kong yuan financing received fresh support after the People’s Bank of China said it will deepen financial market links between the mainland and Hong Kong to facilitate global investment and financing in renminbi. PBOC Deputy Governor Zou Lan said more than 800 overseas institutional investors have accessed China’s onshore bond market via Bond Connect through Hong Kong, with holdings exceeding RMB810bn (USD113bn), about a quarter of total foreign bond holdings. Bond tradi

Blackstone Asia hiring plans are accelerating as the alternative asset manager looks to capture rising private market demand from individual investors, Ed Huang, its Asia-Pacific private wealth head, said. Blackstone has roughly doubled its regional team over the past two years and is expanding in Japan, adding staff in Australia and placing people on the ground in South Korea. Huang said the firm sees strong potential in offering private equity and private credit products to

Hong Kong’s MPF Authority has suspended eKYC registration on the eMPF platform after fraudsters used forged smart identity cards to impersonate scheme members, chairwoman Ayesha Macpherson Lau said. She said no personal data was leaked from the system. The suspension of Hong Kong MPF eKYC registration follows the discovery that about 80% of users had registered via the government’s iAM Smart digital identity app, with the remainder using eKYC. With enhanced authentication bei

Hong Kong has approved 14 company re-domiciliation applications under its new regime, signalling growing interest from global financial institutions, Financial Services and the Treasury Secretary Christopher Hui said. The approvals include French insurer AXA, which has completed the transfer of its regional insurance unit from Bermuda to Hong Kong. AXA Hong Kong and Macau said AXA China Region Insurance Company (Bermuda) has re-domiciled to the city and been renamed AXA China

Raffles Family Office has appointed former BNP Paribas banker Pradinan Arkarachinores as managing director for relationship management, strengthening its advisory capabilities for ultra-high-net-worth clients. The Singapore-based multi-family office said Arkarachinores will lead a team overseeing portfolios for Asian UHNW families, with a focus on relationship management, strategic advisory and the delivery of tailored wealth solutions. She will report to Kendrick Lee, the gr

SGX board lot reform has been welcomed by market participants as a step towards improving accessibility, though challenges remain. Singapore Exchange has proposed cutting standard board lot sizes for higher-priced securities to lower minimum investment thresholds and broaden participation. Under the proposal, board lots would be reduced from 100 units to 10 units for securities priced above SGD10 and up to SGD100, and to one unit for those priced above SGD100, with the smalle

Wisdom Group multi-family office has appointed banking and external asset management veteran Arthur Fong as managing director and senior adviser, strengthening leadership for its UHNW client base. Wisdom Group Holdings, a Hong Kong-based platform with about USD7bn in assets and a presence in Hong Kong and Singapore, describes itself as an independent asset management and multi-family office business serving ultra-high-net-worth families and their advisers. Fong said he joined

An IMAS survey of Singapore fund managers suggests the industry is entering 2026 expecting persistent volatility, while looking for selective opportunities in Asia as rate cuts and wider adoption of artificial intelligence reshape portfolio construction. The Investment Management Association of Singapore said about 69% of respondents expect the U.S. Federal Reserve to cut rates by more than 0.5 percentage point by year-end, while 60% worry political pressure could increasingl

HKMA inclusive banking guidance is being updated as Hong Kong’s banking industry moves to strengthen support for elderly customers and people with impairments, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Hong Kong Association of Banks said. A refreshed “Guideline on Elderly-friendly Banking Services” sets practical standards aligned with government efforts to promote the “silver economy” and aims to improve financial literacy and digital adoption through enhanced financial educa

South Korea 2025 growth slowed to 1.0%, the weakest pace since 2020, supported by solid exports but weighed down by a sharp fall in construction investment, preliminary Bank of Korea data showed. The economy unexpectedly contracted 0.3% quarter-on-quarter in October–December, its first contraction in six months and the weakest since late 2022, missing the central bank’s prior forecast for a small expansion. Construction investment fell 3.9% from the prior quarter, while expor

APAC CEOs wealth and asset management expansion is gaining momentum as chief executives increasingly look beyond their core businesses, PwC said, citing its 29th Global CEO Survey. PwC found that 37% of Asia-Pacific CEOs plan to expand outside their traditional industries over the next three years, targeting adjacent and fast-moving sectors such as asset and wealth management, technology, health services, transportation and logistics, retail and industrial manufacturing. Amon

SC Capital Japan hotel strategy has secured a major capital commitment as investors position for a tourism rebound. Singapore-based real estate investment manager SC Capital Partners said it has secured backing from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for its Japan hospitality strategy, supported by a consortium including an existing institutional investor. The initial commitment totals up to USD330m, with capacity to scale to USD719m, while CPP Investments will invest up to

Thailand tokenised funds and digital assets are set to take centre stage under the securities regulator’s 2026 capital market roadmap, as oversight is tightened to protect investors. The Securities and Exchange Commission said the plan will prioritise tokenised funds and bonds, crypto exchange-traded funds including spot products, and upgraded digital market infrastructure. Secretary-General Pornanong Budsaratragoon said the roadmap aims to cut costs for intermediaries and br

China national M&A fund planning is under study as authorities seek to sharpen the strategic direction of government-backed investment vehicles, the state planner said. Wang Changlin, a vice head of the National Development and Reform Commission, said the proposed national mergers and acquisitions fund would support innovation and entrepreneurship and accelerate the development of so-called new quality productive forces. He added that building a modern industrial system requi