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

Hong Kong regulated crypto trading tools are being expanded as the Securities and Futures Commission loosened rules to allow licensed brokers to provide margin financing for digital-asset trading while setting guardrails for more leveraged products to deepen market liquidity. The SFC said brokers may extend financing to clients with strong credit profiles and adequate collateral, initially limited to bitcoin and ether but potentially expanded later. It also issued a high-leve

South Korea crypto exchange inspections were widened as regulators launched on-site checks of major platforms days after Bithumb mistakenly credited customers with 620,000 so-called ghost bitcoins. An emergency task force comprising regulators and the Digital Asset Exchange Alliance will inspect Upbit, Coinone, Korbit and Gopax, focusing on asset-verification procedures and internal controls, authorities said in a report to the National Assembly. The Financial Supervisory Ser

Maybank deposit tokens cross-border payments are being tested as Maybank and Malaysia’s Yinson Holdings pilot a tokenised ringgit under Bank Negara Malaysia’s Digital Asset Innovation Hub. Maybank said the pilot uses its permissioned blockchain to run on-chain transactions involving ringgit and other ASEAN deposit tokens, with Yinson as the first corporate participant. Bank Negara launched the hub in June 2025 as a regulatory sandbox to trial programmable money and ringgit-ba

Hong Kong single-family offices growth accelerated to 3,384 by end-2025, up 25% in two years, contributing HKD12.6bn (USD1.6bn) a year to the economy, Deloitte said, citing a survey of 136 sector participants conducted in October–December 2025. The count was up by 681 from the fourth quarter of 2023, with surveyed offices’ wealth origins led by mainland China and Hong Kong. Family offices cited uncertainty in U.S. markets and geopolitical volatility as factors driving a refoc

Chubb wealth platform Hong Kong has been launched as the Zurich-based insurer targets high-net-worth individuals with fund investment and advisory services and access to alternatives with lower minimums. Chubb said the platform, called Chubb Wealth, will offer a digital onboarding experience, a low and transparent fee structure and a curated menu of funds, while providing alternative investment opportunities with minimum commitments starting at USD10,000. Clients will be supp

Hong Kong brokers 2026 outlook remains upbeat, with more than 40% calling the city the most attractive investment market this year despite rising costs, stiff competition and tighter regulation, an industry survey showed. The Hong Kong Securities Association said its poll of 152 responses found over half were optimistic on Hong Kong equities, including 8% who were very optimistic. Mainland China ranked second, cited by about 30% of respondents, while nearly 60% viewed the U.S

Vietnam crypto transfer tax proposal would exempt cryptocurrency transfers and trading from value-added tax while imposing a 0.1% personal income tax on the gross value of each transfer, mirroring the levy used for securities transactions, according to a draft circular opened for public consultation by the finance ministry. Individual investors would pay the tax regardless of residency status. For organisations established in Vietnam, income from crypto-asset transfers would