Singapore CEO tenure continues to exceed global norms, with Straits Times Index leaders averaging 8.8 years in office in Q3 2025, compared with the worldwide average of 7.2 years, Russell Reynolds Associates reported. Hong Kong CEOs averaged 3.7 years, while Asia‑Pacific overall slipped to 5.9 years as boards demand greater agility amid regulatory and market shifts. More than four in five new CEO appointments in the region came from internal promotions, versus seven in ten gl

Family offices APAC real estate allocations are rising sharply as global capital pivots to Asia Pacific for growth and diversification, according to Colliers’ 2026 Global Investor Outlook. APAC-focused fundraising has climbed more than 130% since 2024, accounting for about 11% of global capital raising in the first three quarters of 2025. Family offices and high-net-worth investors have been especially active in Hong Kong and Australia, capitalising on pricing opportunities a

Generational wealth transfer family offices are expanding rapidly as ultra-wealthy heirs and founders shift away from traditional private banks, speakers at the PWM/FT Live Global Wealth Management Summit in London said. Advisers pointed to declining trust in banks, commission conflicts and stronger demand for transparent, flat-fee advisory structures. Younger entrepreneurs increasingly seek governance, tax planning, philanthropy and succession services within multi-family of

Hong Kong safe haven capital flows are strengthening as global investors reassess geopolitical risks, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said. Bank deposits have risen more than 10% this year to above HKD19tr (USD2.43tr) after a 7% increase in 2024. Several major listings drew cornerstone investors from the West and the Middle East, while global financial groups plan to expand operations locally. Chan said Hong Kong is transitioning from a one-way China gateway to a two-way platfo

AI infrastructure fundraise Koo family backing is accelerating global ultra-rich investment into backbone AI assets. Taiwan billionaire Andre Koo Sr is anchoring two newly launched AI infrastructure funds with at least USD100m as Chailease Holding partners with US investor Jasper Lau’s Era to raise USD1.5bn from wealthy individuals and institutions. The funds will target data centres, power capacity and GPU-driven infrastructure, including firms aligned with Nvidia. Koo contr

Hong Kong family offices are expanding rapidly as the city hits its end‑2025 target ahead of schedule, driven by Hong Kong family office tax incentives and an upgraded investor‑migration scheme. InvestHK said more than 200 family offices had set up or expanded in the city by September, helped by profits‑tax exemptions, a six‑month holding rule under the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, and simplified operational requirements. Authorities estimate Hong Kong hosts over 2,700

Thailand central bank SME credit support will expand as new Bank of Thailand governor Vitai Ratanakorn outlines a more hands‑on remit to address low productivity, weak competitiveness and high household debt. Loan growth has contracted for 15 months, while SME credit fell 4% year‑on‑year in Q3, prompting a credit‑guarantee scheme aimed at lifting SME lending by about 100bn baht (USD2.78bn) from early 2026. The bank is also working with the finance ministry, bankers and asset

Philippine GDP downgrade momentum intensified as S&P Global Ratings and the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office cut growth forecasts for 2025 and 2026 following a Q3 slowdown to a four‑year low tied to a flood‑control corruption scandal. S&P now expects 4.8% growth this year, down from 5.6%, while AMRO lowered its 2025 projection to 5.2%, both below the government’s 5.5–6.5% target. For 2026, S&P cut its view to 5.7% and AMRO to 5.3%, citing weaker public investment, softer

UBS Singapore leadership has been strengthened with the appointment of Kwa Chong Seng as chairman for Singapore and Southeast Asia, effective December 1. The veteran executive will report to APAC president and global wealth co‑president Iqbal Khan, working closely with regional chairman Edmund Koh and Singapore head Jin Yee Young. Kwa has chaired major firms including SGX, ST Engineering, Olam International and MediaCorp, and previously served as deputy chair of Temasek Holdi

FinTech family offices are accelerating a structural shift in Asia’s wealth ecosystem, as Dr Kimmis Pun, managing director of Asia Green Family Office, told the Hubbis Digital Wealth Forum Singapore 2025. She said FinTech family offices now blend institutional discipline with entrepreneurial agility, drawing on Asia Green’s evolution from a FinTech platform into a modern family-office model. UHNW clients increasingly seek holistic solutions spanning digital assets, business r

AI disruption Singapore trends are intensifying, with nine in ten organisations reporting AI-driven role changes or displacement, according to an IDC survey commissioned by Deel. Globally, 99% of firms have adopted AI, and nearly 70% have moved beyond pilots. In Singapore, 66% expect to slow entry-level hiring over the next three years, while 48% recorded the region’s highest displacement rate. The study found 75% of companies say shrinking entry-level pathways make grooming

Singapore crypto adoption is rising among retail investors, although exposure remains conservative, a joint SingSaver–Coinbase Pulse of Crypto Survey shows. The August poll of 3,513 respondents found 61% hold crypto, yet 74% of these allocate less than 10% of assets to it, and only 8% hold more than 25%. Median portfolios total SGD3,000–5,000 (USD2,210–3,683), with the average investor owning three tokens, mostly coins. Some 58% identify as HODL-style investors, while 20% tra

The DBS Alliance Bank stake proposal has been scaled back, with the Singapore lender reducing its request for approval to acquire up to 30% of Alliance Bank Malaysia, replacing an earlier bid of up to 49%, according to reports. The larger stake required an exemption under Malaysia’s foreign-ownership cap for banks and had not received regulatory clearance. If approved, the revised application will allow DBS to open talks with Alliance’s biggest shareholder, Vertical Theme, a

A new Citi Hong Kong survey shows the number of Hong Kong multimillionaires has reached about 395,000 in 2025, up 5,000 from a year earlier and equivalent to one in 14 residents aged 21 to 79. These individuals hold at least HKD10m (USD1.28m) in net assets, including HKD1m in liquid assets, and report a median HKD20.5m in wealth and HKD10m in liquid holdings split evenly between property and cash or investments. The average multimillionaire is 55 years old, attained their fir

Swiss lender AMINA Bank has secured Hong Kong’s first full-service crypto approval for an international group after the Securities and Futures Commission granted an uplift to its Type 1 licence for professional investors. The AMINA Bank crypto licence comes as Hong Kong’s trading volumes rose 233% in the first half of 2025, signalling stronger institutional adoption despite strict regulation. AMINA can now support 13 assets including bitcoin, ether, USDC, tether and leading D

The IMF says the G20 growth outlook is the weakest since the 2009 financial crisis, with the bloc projected to expand just 2.9% by 2030 as protectionism, tariffs and policy uncertainty weigh on trade and investment. Advanced G20 economies are forecast to grow only 1.4%, far below the 3.9% expected for emerging markets. The Fund expects G20 output to rise 3.2% in 2025 before easing to 3.0% in 2026, down from 3.3% in 2024. It warned that higher tariffs risk driving inflation hi

Recruiters expect Hong Kong finance hiring to increase 10–15% in 2026 as asset growth and stronger equity markets prompt banks and fund houses to expand headcount. Robert Walters reports a 20% rise in active roles this year, though completed offers remain behind as employers stay cautious after pandemic overhiring and subsequent cutbacks. Robert Half noted increased openings in front-office and revenue-generating roles, with steady demand across middle and back offices. Banks

Hex Trust and Fireblocks crypto custody collaboration is targeting institutional clients across Asia and the Middle East as regulators tighten rules on how virtual assets are held. Under the strategic deal, Hong Kong-based Hex Trust will act as a qualified, locally licensed custodian on the Fireblocks Custody Network in key markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore and the UAE. The arrangement allows banks, brokers and fintech firms to combine Fireblocks’ transaction and wallet te

A new Global AI Competitiveness Index flags a widening governance gap as the European Union emerges as the world’s de facto rule setter for artificial intelligence while the United States and China retain an edge in deployment. The Global AI Competitiveness Index, which tracks AI governance and regulation across about 25 jurisdictions and includes Hong Kong’s Financial Services Development Council as an observer, identifies three competing models: the EU’s rights based AI Act

Hong Kong financial centre advantages in liquidity and law are in focus as the city competes with rival hubs in a volatile macroenvironment. Bankers highlighted Hong Kong’s role as a fundraising hub, with the market raising HKD216bn (USD28bn) from IPOs in the first 10 months of 2025 and tipped by some to reclaim the top global listing spot, even though its stock market currently ranks only fifth worldwide by size. Speakers at a recent Financial Times conference pointed to dee