The Hong Kong sustainable finance taxonomy is being expanded as authorities seek to direct more private capital towards green and transition investments. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s Phase 2B prototype increases the number of covered economic activities to 39 from 25, adding areas across transportation, manufacturing and waste management while introducing measures addressing climate adaptation. The taxonomy provides criteria for determining whether particular economic a

A China state bank capital injection programme worth around RMB360bn (USD54bn) is being rolled out as Beijing strengthens major financial institutions and seeks to support economic growth. Agricultural Bank of China plans to raise up to RMB160bn through a private placement, while Industrial and Commercial Bank of China is targeting up to RMB100bn. China Life Insurance is set to receive RMB35bn, while Export-Import Bank of China will receive RMB30bn. Other institutions covered

The CapitaLand Asia-Pacific credit fund platform is expanding as CapitaLand Investment seeks USD500m for its third regional private-credit programme, Bloomberg reported. The new vehicle, ACP III, will focus on senior secured and asset-backed investments and is expected to target mainly existing investors. A first close is planned by the end of 2026. The fundraising follows the USD320m close of ACP II, which added around USD600m to CapitaLand Investment’s funds under managemen

Hong Kong Kazakhstan investment ties are set to deepen as the two markets pursue a “hub-to-hub” model designed to connect Asian capital with Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Under the proposed approach, Hong Kong would provide Kazakh businesses with greater access to mainland China and wider Asian markets, while Kazakhstan would act as a gateway for Hong Kong investors seeking opportunities across Central Asia. The two sides are also pursuing institutional arrangements to sup

A Xi Washington CEO delegation is being prepared for the Chinese president’s Sept. 24 summit as Beijing seeks to signal support for commercial and investment ties with the United States, Reuters reported. Xi Jinping rarely travels overseas with large groups of corporate executives, and Reuters said it had not determined which business leaders would participate. His last sizeable corporate delegation to the US was in 2015 and included Alibaba founder Jack Ma and Tencent founde

Singapore younger wealthy clients are becoming an increasingly important target for banks as millennials and Generation Z investors start investing earlier and progress more quickly into higher wealth segments. DBS said the number of millennial retail customers entering its Treasures segment, which covers clients with SGD350,000 (USD277,000) to SGD1.5m in investible assets, tripled in the first half of 2026 from a year earlier. OCBC recorded an almost 50% increase in customer

Wang Jianjun life sentence proceedings have ended with the former China Securities Regulatory Commission vice chairman receiving life imprisonment for accepting more than RMB93m (USD13m) in bribes. State broadcaster CCTV reported that the court found Wang had used his positions between 2005 and 2019 to secure benefits for companies and individuals. The benefits involved company listings, corporate financing and business contracts, with Wang accepting money and property in ret

Singapore accounting firms Asia expansion could become easier under a regional professional-services network being developed by the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants. ISCA’s Professional Services Centre network allows smaller Singapore firms to work with local providers for regulated services, market expertise and business connections without incurring the full cost of establishing overseas offices. A newly launched Jakarta centre joins existing locations in Singap

Asian wealth management growth could increasingly favour banks in Singapore and Hong Kong as household assets shift from deposits and property towards equities, bonds, funds and alternative investments, according to Morgan Stanley. The trend is expected to increase demand for private banking, investment management and advisory services as household wealth across Asia continues to expand. Morgan Stanley said Singapore should benefit from its position as a centre for family off

Philippine CEO confidence remains strong despite growing concerns over regulatory uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, climate change and technological disruption. A PwC Philippines and Management Association of the Philippines survey of 176 CEOs and business leaders found that 83% were confident about their industry prospects over the next 12 months, while 81% expected company revenues to grow. Domestic consumption was the most frequently cited growth driver, followed by infr

Japan Q2 GDP growth was stronger than initially estimated, reinforcing expectations that the Bank of Japan will continue raising interest rates. Gross domestic product expanded at an annualised 1.4% in April-June from the previous quarter, revised up from an initial 1.1% estimate. Non-annualised quarterly growth was 0.4%, government data showed. Capital expenditure fell 0.9%, a smaller decline than the previously estimated 1.2%, while private consumption was unchanged. Separa

The UBS family office funds programme is giving wealthy Asian investors access to strategies typically reserved for institutions, with a minimum overall commitment of USD5m. The Exclusive Manager Access Fund Program will initially launch in Singapore and Hong Kong before expanding to Taiwan, targeting high-net-worth individuals, ultra-high-net-worth investors and family offices. Clients must allocate at least USD500,000 to each underlying fund. The programme will begin with s

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