BBVA has led a USD30m funding round in Olea, a digital supply chain finance platform, as the firm looks to scale digital trade finance across Asia and other key global corridors. The funding round included XDC Network, theDock and SC Ventures, the innovation arm of Standard Chartered. BBVA and Olea said they will deepen a partnership signed in June 2025, developing digital trade finance solutions using AI, data analytics and blockchain to strengthen risk management and supply

Hong Kong-domiciled funds saw assets under management rise 36% year-on-year to HKD2.27tr (USD29bn) in the third quarter, highlighting the city’s resilience and deeper integration with global markets, according to the Securities and Futures Commission. The number of locally domiciled funds increased 7.8% to 1,022 as of September, with net inflows of HKD46.9bn during the quarter. SFC chief executive Julia Leung Fung-yee said Hong Kong’s markets showed steady and diversified gro

The Philippines has moved closer to reforming its bank secrecy regime after lawmakers approved on second reading amendments to the Philippines bank secrecy law granting the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas broader investigative powers. House Bill No.6707 would allow the central bank to examine bank deposits of officers and employees suspected of fraud, tax evasion, money laundering or other financial crimes once the Monetary Board determines reasonable grounds. The bill also exten

Hong Kong wealth-transfer disputes are a growing concern among families, with 44% of respondents worried their wealth may not be passed on and 64% of high-net-worth respondents fearing inheritances could trigger family disputes, according to a Sun Life survey. About a third of respondents said their legacy goal is passing assets to the next generation, while 65% ranked safeguarding family financial stability as the top priority. Sun Life’s Christine Yeung said longer life exp

Asia billionaire wealth handover by 2040 is set to accelerate as billionaires worldwide transfer nearly USD7tr to heirs over the next 15 years, UBS estimates, with USD5.9tr likely flowing to children, excluding any asset appreciation. The United States remains the largest pool, with heirs expected to inherit at least USD2.8tr. In Asia, India leads at USD382.4bn, which UBS linked to older founders and larger families, while China and Hong Kong together account for USD315.7bn,

DIFC hedge funds have reached the 100-fund mark as Asia-focused managers increasingly use Dubai as a base to trade across time zones, with the Dubai International Financial Centre saying it is building a top-five global hub. DIFC said the number of hedge fund managers doubled to 100 from 50 at the start of 2024, and 81 of the managers oversee more than USD1bn each. New arrivals in 2025 include Baron Capital, BlueCrest, Squarepoint and Silver Point, alongside established firms

Deglobalisation 2026 is expected to accelerate, with nearly 60% of global chief executives and investors anticipating the trend will gather pace as protectionism and national security priorities reshape supply chains, according to Teneo’s Vision 2026 survey. Respondents in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East said the shift appears slower than in Latin America, where executives cited near-shoring and energy-transition investment as making the change feel sharper. The United State

Hong Kong family office policy must continue to evolve if the city is to remain competitive even after rolling out a new framework and what Andrew Weir described as “excellent” tax concessions. The Financial Services Development Council vice-chairman said global competition remains intense and Hong Kong cannot stand still if it wants to attract more family offices as part of a broader financial ecosystem. He said the city has taken a “quantum step forward” over the past year

A global family office talent squeeze is intensifying as younger heirs take control and reshape investment priorities, according to a report by IMD and the Family Business Network. Based on 186 survey responses and 65 interviews conducted across six continents in the first half of 2025, the study found next-generation leaders are pushing impact investing, sustainability, technology upgrades and diversity when hiring advisers. Demand has risen sharply for alternative-asset ana

PE and VC fundraising remained subdued in 2025, with global venture capital funds raising USD64.4bn in the first nine months, less than half of 2024’s total, according to Preqin. Asia-Pacific was the weakest region, with USD9.5bn raised compared with USD34.2bn in 2024, as investors stayed cautious on new commitments. Private equity funds raised USD507bn, around 73% of last year’s level, and Preqin expects a modest full-year decline. Exit activity showed signs of recovery, wit

Hong Kong is likely to see more restructurings and liquidations in 2026 across sectors including real estate, restaurants and retail as a weak economy and shifting consumer habits continue to squeeze firms, veteran liquidator Derek Lai said. Known as the “King of Liquidation”, Lai recently left Deloitte after 36 years to join EY as senior partner and Asia-Pacific turnaround and restructuring leader, with plans to expand EY’s team to 130 from 80 next year. Companies Registry d

The Philippines growth outlook has been revised lower by the International Monetary Fund, which now expects the economy to expand 5.1% in 2025 and 5.6% in 2026, both below the government’s 6%–7% target range. The IMF said the weaker Philippines growth outlook reflects higher US tariffs weighing on exports and investment, alongside global trade-policy uncertainty, corruption allegations linked to flood-control projects and more frequent climate shocks. While disinflation has b

Hong Kong market reforms are needed to keep the city a leading capital-raising hub as markets digitise and competition among financial centres intensifies, the Financial Services Development Council said. In a concept paper, the FSDC urged Hong Kong market reforms to deepen liquidity beyond equities, spanning fixed income, private-market assets and offshore yuan products, alongside infrastructure upgrades to speed settlement and support multi-asset, multi-currency issuance. T

Japan business sentiment climbed to a four-year high in the three months to December, according to the Bank of Japan’s tankan survey, keeping expectations alive that the central bank could raise interest rates at its Dec.18–19 meeting. The headline index for large manufacturers edged up to +15 from +14 in September, while big non-manufacturers held steady at +34. Firms said Japan business sentiment could weaken in the March quarter as concerns persist over US tariffs and slug

USD stablecoins dominance is reshaping global digital finance, prompting calls for Taiwan to issue a New Taiwan dollar stablecoin to safeguard monetary sovereignty and keep exporters competitive, fintech expert Jeff Wen said. He noted that USD stablecoins dominance accounts for about 99% of global issuance and allows tokens to move rapidly across borders. Wen argued that a Taiwan-issued stablecoin would enable tokenised real-world assets to be priced and settled locally as fi

Hong Kong has launched a public consultation on adopting the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework and updating the Common Reporting Standard, setting the stage for Hong Kong crypto tax data sharing with partner jurisdictions from 2028. The government plans to pass amendments to the Inland Revenue Ordinance next year and roll out the revised CRS from 2029, aligning the city with global standards on tax transparency and digital assets. Under the proposal, reporting financial

Hong Kong’s initial public offering (IPO) market is forecast to raise up to HKD350bn (USD45bn) next year as momentum from mainland Chinese issuers and technology listings lifts the city back toward the top tier of global exchanges, KPMG said. The firm expects 180 to 200 listings in 2026, implying as much as a doubling in deal numbers and a 28.7% jump in proceeds from this year, when about 100 newcomers raised HKD272bn. Much of the activity has come from A+H listings, which br

The Asian Development Bank has raised its South Korea growth forecast for 2025 to 0.9% from 0.8%, citing stronger domestic consumption following government stimulus and easing export uncertainty after a tariff agreement with the United States, the finance ministry said. The lender also lifted its 2026 growth outlook by 0.1 percentage point to 1.7%, broadly in line with projections from the OECD and the Bank of Korea. Officials said the upgrade reflected resilient semiconducto

Vietnam is preparing to open its first international financial centre in Ho Chi Minh City on December 12, with authorities saying the city has the infrastructure, talent pipeline and investor interest required to begin operations. The Vietnam international financial centre will initially house its executive and supervisory bodies at the city’s Startup & Innovation Hub before relocating to a renovated office on Nguyen Hue Street and later to a permanent base in the Thu Thiem u

Hong Kong business confidence has risen sharply, with about half of companies operating in the city optimistic about economic prospects next year, up from just 18% a year earlier, according to preliminary findings from the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. Chamber chair Agnes Chan said a record number of local and international firms set up operations in Hong Kong this year, helping support momentum and drive 3.8% GDP growth in the third quarter. Hong Kong also topped th