Hong Kong has been ranked among the world’s top 10 financial services talent markets and fourth in Asia-Pacific, according to Colliers’ Global Financial Services Markets 2026 report. The Hong Kong finance talent ranking placed the city behind Singapore, Beijing and Shanghai, but ahead of Tokyo, reflecting its continued importance as an international financial centre. Colliers classified Hong Kong as a Global Centre due to its strong international connectivity, concentration o

Hong Kong remains firmly supported by mainland Chinese authorities as an international financial centre despite recent regulatory actions targeting illicit overseas investment channels, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said. Speaking at Bloomberg Invest in Hong Kong, Chan emphasised that the Hong Kong financial hub continues to play a critical role in connecting mainland and international capital markets. Chan said cross-border capital flows should move through legitimate and tr

ASEAN should focus on building a fully integrated regional financial-technology network rather than simply connecting individual markets if it wants to become a leading digital-finance hub, according to Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang. Speaking at the ASEAN Future Forum 2026, he said an ASEAN fintech ecosystem would be critical to supporting economic growth, innovation and financial inclusion. Thang called for closer collaboration among governments, regulato

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing chief executive Bonnie Chan said Stock Connect trading activity remains robust despite recent measures by China’s securities regulator targeting illegal cross-border securities operations. Speaking at a Bloomberg conference in Hong Kong, Chan said the regulatory actions have not affected legitimate market access through the programme. Average daily Southbound Stock Connect trading rose 14% this year to approximately RMB138bn (USD20.4bn) compar

Asian family offices need to engage earlier with private technology opportunities as more value creation occurs before companies reach public markets, according to a new report released by Annum Capital, Deane Consulting and Turoid. The Asian family office technology investing guide argues that category-leading technology firms are remaining private for 10 to 14 years or longer. The report said Asian family office technology investing strategies must evolve because much of th

AXA has launched AXA Global Private, a new platform designed to serve affluent clients and wealthy families across Asia from a Hong Kong base. The AXA Global Private initiative will offer specialised insurance and investment solutions covering luxury properties, art collections and kidnapping-and-ransom risks. The platform will operate through entities in Hong Kong and Bermuda and initially target clients with assets ranging from HKD10m (USD1.28m) to HKD50m, according to Sall

Mirae Asset Securities has introduced a new foreign-investor omnibus account service through a partnership with Singapore-based brokerage UOB Kay Hian. The Mirae Asset omnibus account initiative is intended to improve access to South Korean equities for investors across Singapore and Southeast Asia. Developed through Mirae Asset’s Singapore subsidiary, the service forms part of broader efforts to attract international capital into South Korea’s stock market. The Mirae Asset o

Singapore’s economy remains strong following better-than-expected first-quarter growth, but policymakers must prepare for increasing uncertainty arising from geopolitical tensions, inflation pressures and artificial intelligence-related disruption, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said. The Singapore economic resilience message came during a Singapore Press Club dialogue. Wong noted that the economy expanded 6% year on year in the first quarter, significantly exceeding the earlie

The Southeast Asian family office sector is entering a period of rapid expansion, supported by rising regional wealth, succession planning activity and evolving investment strategies. The SE Asia family offices report by The Venture Network highlighted accelerating growth across the region, particularly in Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore, the region’s largest hub, surpassed 2,000 family offices in 2025 with assets under management of USD66.8bn. Malaysia is also developing i

WRISE Wealth Management has launched WRISE Master Trust in Hong Kong as demand rises for integrated wealth planning, succession and asset-protection solutions among affluent Asian families. The WRISE Master Trust combines the company’s wealth-management platform with the licensed trustee capabilities of Quantum Trust. The new offering is designed for high-net-worth individuals and family offices seeking cross-border wealth management, governance support and long-term successi

Mainland Chinese investors are increasingly travelling to Hong Kong to preserve access to international markets following Beijing’s crackdown on unauthorised cross-border securities trading. The mainland Chinese offshore investments trend accelerated after regulators penalised online brokers Futu, Tiger and Longbridge for soliciting mainland business without appropriate licences. The crackdown has prompted some investors to transfer assets to Hong Kong-based brokers while nav

Family offices, institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals are the focus of a new platform launched in Hong Kong to strengthen the city’s role as an international investment gateway. The Hong Kong investor hub initiative, known as the Global Investor Institute, was founded by William Kwok and aims to connect capital with emerging technology opportunities across Asia and beyond. The Hong Kong investor hub will provide a continuous platform for dialogue among instit

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned that the world economy faces a growing global recession risk if conflict in the Middle East continues into next year and disrupts energy supplies. The OECD said prolonged instability could weaken growth, increase inflation and force central banks to maintain tighter monetary policies. Under its baseline scenario, global growth is expected to slow from 3.4% in 2025 to 2.8% in 2026 before recovering to 3.1% i

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission has urged licensed financial institutions to strengthen defences against AI-enabled cyber threats, warning that brokers and virtual asset trading platforms face growing risks from phishing, social engineering and deepfake attacks. The regulator said rapidly advancing artificial intelligence tools are making it easier for cybercriminals to launch large-scale attacks and misappropriate client assets. The warning comes after reported

Vietnam’s securities regulator is preparing a new round of Vietnam securities reforms designed to improve market accessibility and attract additional foreign investment as the country pursues a long-term effort to upgrade its stock market status. State Securities Commission Chairwoman Vu Thi Chan Phuong said Vietnam’s stock market capitalisation had reached approximately USD410bn by mid-May, while average daily trading value on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange stood at around U

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