Singapore fund managers could face increasing competitive pressure unless tax incentives are strengthened, with the Alternative Investment Management Association warning that portfolio managers and investment professionals are actively considering relocating to Hong Kong and other lower-tax jurisdictions. In a letter to the Monetary Authority of Singapore, AIMA said the trend extended beyond isolated cases, with member firms holding active discussions about relocating staff w

The Hong Kong IPO market could stage one of its strongest years on record, with BDO raising its forecast to between 180 and 200 initial public offerings capable of raising HKD400bn (USD51bn) during 2026. The accounting firm previously expected between 150 listings raising HKD300bn to HKD350bn but upgraded its outlook after approximately 100 companies had already completed flotations, generating HKD260bn. During the first two weeks of July alone, 16 companies collectively rais

Further Thailand investment reforms are needed if the country is to attract greater European investment, according to the EU-Asean Business Council, despite continued interest from international companies in expanding operations. Vice-chair Noel Clehane identified life sciences, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, low-carbon industries, financial services and consumer products as sectors with significant investment potential. A 2025 survey found that 57% of European busine

Singapore family offices could benefit from revised investment incentives as the Monetary Authority of Singapore reviews tax concessions while Hong Kong expands measures to attract global wealth managers. According to the Financial Times, the MAS is considering changes to its 10% fund manager tax concession and additional measures to reduce operating costs for investment funds. The review comes as Hong Kong proposes broader preferential tax treatment covering funds, family-ow

Hong Kong GDP is forecast to expand by 4.3% in 2026 as artificial intelligence investment, recovering capital markets and stronger domestic demand support the city's economic outlook, according to Standard Chartered. Senior economist Tommy Wu said Hong Kong is well positioned to benefit from Asia's AI-driven investment cycle through its logistics and trading sectors, noting that more than 70% of electronic products imported into mainland China pass through Hong Kong. Recoveri

UOB Private Bank Hong Kong has appointed Judy Chan as managing director for Hong Kong as the Singapore-based lender continues expanding its wealth management capabilities across Asia. Effective from July 2026, Chan will oversee client coverage, team leadership and the delivery of wealth solutions for high-net-worth individuals while strengthening client engagement and the bank's presence in Hong Kong. She will report to Chew Mun Yew, head of Group Private Bank. Chan brings ne

The South Korea economy is expected to lose momentum during the second quarter of 2026 as weaker domestic demand offsets exceptional export growth driven by artificial intelligence-related semiconductor investment. A Reuters survey forecast quarterly gross domestic product growth of 0.4%, slowing sharply from the revised 1.8% expansion recorded during the first quarter. Annual growth is expected to ease to 3.5% from 3.8%. Exports increased by approximately 71% in June, suppor

Hong Kong family offices are attracting increasing interest from wealthy European families seeking a strategic base for investing across Asia, according to BNP Paribas, as two-way capital flows between Europe and mainland China continue to strengthen. Lemuel Lee, the bank's head of wealth management in Hong Kong, said affluent European clients are increasingly viewing the city as an ideal location for conducting due diligence, sourcing investment opportunities and negotiating

A review of HKEX trading hours could significantly extend access to Hong Kong's equity market as the exchange explores earlier openings, continuous daytime trading and a new evening session to improve international competitiveness. According to Bloomberg, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing is considering beginning cash equity trading at 9 a.m., eliminating the existing one-hour lunch break and introducing an after-hours trading session between 8 p.m. and midnight. The tradition

New South Korea leveraged ETFs are facing tighter regulatory controls after the Financial Supervisory Service ordered asset managers to halt advertising for domestically listed single-stock leveraged and inverse exchange-traded funds with immediate effect. The directive follows broader investor protection measures requiring buyers to deposit at least KRW30m (USD20,291), purchase a minimum of 20 shares and complete three hours of mandatory education before trading the products

Vietnam financial planning remains underdeveloped despite investors gradually diversifying their portfolios, according to a nationwide survey by Thien Viet Securities. The study of 1,000 investors holding at least VND500m (USD19,047) in assets found that bank deposits, property and gold still accounted for 87% of total household investments. While 55% of respondents used between two and three investment channels and 39% invested across four or five asset classes, equities, bo

FinEx Club AI governance was a central theme at the organisation's Strategic Advisory Board reception in Hong Kong, where members reviewed a year of initiatives spanning financial markets, tokenisation, artificial intelligence and executive development. The event brought together founder and chairman Morris Hui, senior adviser Jonathan Watkin, chief executive of Asia First Financial Insights, and other advisory board members. Lawrence Au introduced the FinEx Club Research Cen

Taiwan's financial sector is set for further consolidation after the Financial Supervisory Commission approved two significant transactions involving banking and insurance groups. The approvals cover the merger of Bank SinoPac and King's Town Bank, together with E.Sun Financial Holding's acquisition of Mercuries Life Insurance. Bank SinoPac will become the surviving entity when the merger takes effect on 1 January next year, creating a lender with 189 branches, the second-lar

South Korea and ASEAN will begin formal negotiations this week to modernise their trade agreement and deepen cooperation in emerging sectors. The South Korea ASEAN FTA upgrade discussions will cover areas including the digital economy, critical minerals, supply-chain resilience and future trade facilitation. The first round of negotiations will be led by Park Geun-oh of South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and Alpana Roy, ASEAN’s director general for intern

Hong Kong is proposing stricter compliance requirements for family offices even as it broadens tax incentives to cover a wider range of alternative assets, including digital assets, precious metals and selected commodities. The Hong Kong family office rules are designed to ensure that firms benefiting from tax concessions maintain genuine economic substance in the city. Under the proposed framework, family offices seeking preferential tax treatment will need to satisfy “real

Investors in mainland China and Hong Kong have reportedly been barred from participating in SpaceX’s planned public offering, according to Bloomberg News. The SpaceX IPO restrictions were communicated by lead underwriters, which instructed syndicate members not to accept orders from customers in China and Hong Kong, including private banking clients. The reported decision reflects regulatory and compliance concerns surrounding cross-border participation in the offering. Forei

China has announced tougher supervision of its RMB23tr (USD3.4tr) private investment sector as regulators seek to reduce financial risks and channel more capital towards technology innovation and strategic industries. The China private fund industry reforms were unveiled by the China Securities Regulatory Commission as part of a broader clean-up campaign. The CSRC said it would strengthen registration requirements, crack down on illegal fund activities and encourage more long

Singapore businesses lose an estimated USD7bn annually because of inefficiencies in traditional international payment systems, according to research by Airwallex and the Centre for Economics and Business Research. The Singapore cross-border payments study found that payment failures, foreign-exchange spreads, correspondent banking fees and settlement delays continue to impose significant costs on companies. The report described these inefficiencies as a “Global Growth Tariff”

The Missing Layer in Family Office Investing (Article 2 of 4) CSRD, AI disclosure norms, and the expanding governance perimeter — why private wealth can no longer sit outside the regulatory frame. There is a widely held assumption in private wealth management that AI and ESG governance regulations are designed for large public companies. Publicly listed, heavily scrutinised, institutionally owned. Not for the family office managing a mid-market portfolio across three jurisdic

Companies across Southeast Asia plan to allocate 81% of capital expenditure within Asia over the next three years, led primarily by ASEAN markets, according to The Business Times Insights: ASEAN Intelligence 2026 survey. The ASEAN intra-Asia investment findings were based on responses from more than 500 business leaders across the ASEAN-6 economies. All respondents said they planned additional capital deployment within Asia, with 90% focused on ASEAN markets, 77% targeting do