Family offices emerging managers strategies were in focus at the Tokyo Asset Management Forum, where investors said new managers can diversify portfolios through niche strategies and impact investing while still targeting higher returns, even as shorter track records and liquidity constraints remain hurdles. Leo Lum, an investment manager at Singapore-based family office Khattar Holdings, said new managers can outperform in private markets and smaller funds can focus on very

Hong Kong family office tax breaks precious metals coverage will be expanded as the city plans to broaden preferential regimes for funds and family offices to include investments in precious metals, including gold-linked exchange-traded funds, Financial Services and the Treasury Secretary Christopher Hui said. Hui also said Hong Kong and Shenzhen have signed a memorandum to jointly develop gold processing and trading, encouraging collaboration between Hong Kong merchants and

AIIB Keppel private credit fund commitment will reach up to USD125m after the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank agreed to back Keppel Private Credit Fund III, the companies said. Keppel said the pledge includes a USD75m investment and a co-investment sleeve of up to USD50m, lifting the fund’s funds under management to more than USD561m. It is AIIB’s first investment under a strategic partnership signed in June 2025 that aims to mobilise up to USD1.5bn of sustainable infras

Singapore household wealth top 20% averaged SGD5.3m (USD3.9m) in 2023, driven mainly by property assets worth SGD3.4m, the Ministry of Finance said in its first comprehensive release of household wealth data. The ministry defines net wealth as total assets minus liabilities, with assets spanning property, net CPF balances and other financial assets, while liabilities are largely mortgages. Across all wealth groups, home equity and CPF balances were the biggest components, and

Family offices private equity diversification is accelerating as investors shift more capital into private equity and other alternatives while broadening jurisdictions to manage geopolitical and regulatory risks, according to Ocorian’s 2025 Family Office Report cited by Circle Family Office founder Amin Naj. Pureprofile surveyed 200 family office leaders, family members and advisers in June 2025 and found more than 75% plan to materially increase private equity allocations ov

UBS Hong Kong wealth hiring plans include about 50 new bankers for its wealth business after its North Asia franchise posted record revenue last year, with recruitment focused on high net-worth clients as the bank looks to broaden beyond its recent emphasis on billionaires, Asia-Pacific wealth co-head Amy Lo said. UBS brought in USD62.5bn of net new assets in Asia in 2025, helped by Hong Kong’s active IPO market and so-called win-back flows after the integration of Credit Sui

Hong Kong digital finance strategy was in focus at a forum convened by the Chief Executive’s Policy Unit to discuss how the city can support China’s push to become a financial powerhouse by advancing digital finance use cases, balancing regulation with development and linking more closely with mainland infrastructure. The forum brought together participants from Hong Kong and mainland China, including researchers from the People’s Bank of China’s research institute, members o

South Korea crypto regulation crackdown calls intensified after the financial watchdog said Bithumb’s accidental distribution of more than USD40bn worth of bitcoin to customers showed the need for tougher rules to address vulnerabilities in trading systems. Financial Supervisory Service Governor Lee Chan-jin said regulators will factor in lessons from the incident as they pursue legislation to bring digital assets under tighter oversight, and flagged concerns including so-cal

Macquarie Asset Management Asia wealth expansion gathered pace as the firm added three hires to grow its regional wealth business and push private market offerings to private banking and intermediary clients, the firm said. Wai Kin Leung joins as senior vice president, Asia wealth, focusing on Greater China and helping advance private market solutions; he most recently led managed solutions work at LGT Private Banking and previously worked at Pictet, Credit Suisse and HSBC. M

China virtual currency restrictions will be tightened further as authorities reiterated that crypto assets lack the same legal status as fiat money and that related business activities amount to illegal financial activities, according to a notice released by the central bank and other agencies. Officials said that without official approval, domestic entities and the overseas entities they control are prohibited from issuing virtual currencies overseas, underscoring Beijing’s

South Korea Indonesia cross-border QR payments are set to launch in April 2026, enabling visitors to pay at merchants in either country using domestic QR apps, Bank Indonesia said. The Indonesian central bank and the Bank of Korea reviewed progress on the interlinkage and agreed to keep working closely as they move toward launch. Talks began in 2023 and led to a memorandum of understanding signed in July 2024, with the service operating alongside the Local Currency Transactio

Vietnam business formation January data showed a surge in activity as nearly 24,200 new firms were registered and more than 24,500 businesses resumed operations, signalling improving confidence as the economy recovers, official data showed. Total registered capital for new firms rose to VND180.9tr (USD7.1tr), while registered employment increased to about 108,200, the National Statistics Office said. However, average capital per newly formed company fell to VND7.5bn, and addi

A Hong Kong family office AI venture fund is backing a new artificial intelligence vehicle launched by former SenseTime managing director Esther Wong, the founder said. Wong’s firm, 3C AGI Partners, is targeting up to USD100m by March after raising USD50m at a first close in November. The fund will focus on so-called “picks and shovels” AI infrastructure, including hardware and data centres, and will steer clear of application-layer bets that Wong described as overvalued. VMS

Indonesia listing rules free float requirements are set to tighten after the stock exchange published draft proposals following a sharp sell-off that drew attention from index provider MSCI. Under the plan, companies with pre-listing market capitalisation above IDR50tr (USD3.8bn) would need a minimum free float of 15% at IPO, up from 10%, while smaller issuers would face higher thresholds. The draft also requires issuers to maintain the minimum free float for at least one yea

The Consensus Hong Kong Web3 conference will open at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with an opening address from Chief Executive John Lee, organisers said. Positioned as a deal-making hub for crypto, blockchain and AI in Asia, the event follows a sold-out debut and aims to connect investors, founders and policy voices from East and West. Organisers urged attendees to collect badges early and said press pass holders can access an opening party in Central, subj

China APEC trade growth accelerated during the 2021–2025 period, with total trade reaching RMB125.49tr (USD18.05tr), up 39.4% from the previous five years, official data showed. Trade in 2025 alone reached RMB26.29tr, accounting for nearly 60% of China’s total foreign trade, according to the first plenary meeting of the 2026 APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures held in Guangzhou. Zhao Zenglian, a deputy head of China’s General Administration of Customs, said the Asia-Paci

Asia family offices private equity exposure is set to increase as volatility in public markets pushes investors towards longer-term, less correlated returns, a Schroders Wealth Management survey showed. The poll of 60 family office executives in Singapore, Hong Kong, and across Southeast Asia and India found 52% plan to raise private equity allocations over the next three years, ahead of public equities at 38%, hedge funds at 33%, and bonds and real estate at 22% each. Schro

Asian middle-class financial anxiety is widespread, with more than 70% of consumers worried about their overall financial wellbeing, according to a survey by insurer FWD Group conducted with Ipsos. The pan-Asian poll of more than 9,000 consumers aged 21 to 65 across 10 markets found 71% were concerned about overall financial wellbeing and rising everyday living costs, 43% about high healthcare expenses, and 37% about unexpected job loss or income drops. Reflecting a shorter p

Hong Kong Fintech 2030 plan initiatives will focus on more advanced applications of artificial intelligence and distributed ledger technology, backed by high-performance computing, as the city seeks to strengthen its fintech ecosystem. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority said the blueprint includes four flagship projects covering areas such as quantum computing, risk data, cybersecurity, and skills development, alongside events, competitions, platform upgrades, and hands-on work

Singapore digital payments growth is projected to lift transaction volumes to USD113.7bn by 2030, up from USD39.4bn in 2023, as the city leads Southeast Asia in adoption and funding and younger consumers accelerate the shift to cashless transactions, according to a report by the Singapore FinTech Association and PwC. The report said Singapore’s payments sector raised more than USD319m in the first nine months of 2025, exceeding the combined funding of several regional peers.