Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) has launched its first Singapore VCC fund for family offices, using the city’s Variable Capital Company structure, an umbrella regime that allows multiple ring-fenced sub-funds with distinct strategies. The fund will be run by UBP’s Singapore discretionary portfolio management team and can invest across public markets and alternatives, including hedge funds and private markets, while also allocating to third-party managers. UBP said it is targeting

Japan’s Daiwa Securities Group will make a minority investment of about JPY5bn(USD32m) in Ambit Wealth, strengthening the Daiwa Ambit Wealth investment partnership in India’s fast-expanding wealth sector, the Nikkei reported. Ambit Wealth, which serves ultra-high-net-worth clients and family offices, had assets under management and advice nearing USD10bn as of 31 March 2025, according to Daiwa. Daiwa said it aims to share its portfolio-strategy and marketing expertise with Am

Vietnam’s investment banks are expanding hiring in anticipation of a major Vietnam IPO wave after FTSE Russell confirmed in October it will upgrade Vietnam to secondary emerging-market status effective 21 September 2026, pending a March 2026 review. VnDirect plans to lift investment-banking headcount 20%–30% over the next 12–18 months, while Vietcap may increase staffing by up to 40% next year. Dragon Capital forecasts more than USD40bn in IPO proceeds during 2026–2028, a sha

Analysts expect the Malaysia banking sector to maintain resilient earnings following the latest reporting season, although net interest margins declined sequentially for most lenders and may remain under pressure into the first half of fiscal 2026. Kenanga Research said system loans rose 5.4% year-on-year in October, aligning with its 2025 target of around 5.5%, while deposits grew 3.7% as customers shifted to shorter-tenure fixed deposits ahead of festive-season liquidity ne

Citigroup has appointed Yuko Nakayama as head of equity capital markets for its Japan investment banking franchise, strengthening its Japan equity capital markets franchise as competition intensifies for dealmaking talent. Effective immediately, Nakayama will lead the Japan ECM team and report to Taiji Nagasaka and Akira Kiyota, with matrix reporting to Harish Raman and Kenneth Chow. Nakayama previously worked at Citi from 2009 to 2015 before moving to Goldman Sachs and later

Investor and real estate developer Eldiyar Muratov said family offices will increasingly replace banks in the next market cycle, arguing that Hong Kong family offices and private syndicates can move faster than traditional institutions. He said compliance-heavy bank processes often require months of paperwork, while ultra-high-net-worth investors can act swiftly and directly. Muratov noted rising dealmaking in Dubai, Singapore and wider Asia, where two or three families pool

Malaysia’s fund management industry recorded MYR1.15tr (USD219.46bn) in assets under management at end-September, up from MYR1.07tr at end-2024, regulatory data showed. The increase was driven by a broad global equity rally. Equity funds climbed 11.3% to MYR566.84bn, while bond funds rose 5.7% to MYR261.62bn. Money market funds grew 2% to MYR147.1bn, and private equity funds increased 3% to MYR18.44bn. The performance came as major markets strengthened, with the Dow Jones Ind

Temasek-owned Seviora Group will fold in fellow Singapore subsidiary Pavilion Capital to form an integrated asset manager overseeing about USD72bn of assets. The combined platform will strengthen offerings across private equity, private credit, public markets and financing. Pavilion will retain its brand and pan-Asia strategy while marketing products under the Seviora umbrella. Seviora CEO Gabriel Lim said the integration will broaden capabilities and help attract third-party

HKIFA investment flows are expected to shift toward equity, bond and mixed-asset funds next year as expectations of rate cuts lift risk appetite and cash leaves maturing high-interest deposits. The Hong Kong Investment Funds Association reported strong momentum, noting Hong Kong retail fund sales rose 35% year on year in the first three quarters to USD82.6bn, surpassing 2024’s full-year total. Net inflows hit a 10-year high at USD15.7bn. Equity funds posted USD16.8bn in sales

The HKMA local-currency payments initiative is gaining traction as Hong Kong seeks to expand regional use of local currencies in trade and financing to mitigate geopolitical risk. HKMA CEO Eddie Yue said tariff shocks, supply-chain disruptions and volatile markets highlight the urgency of deeper integration across Asia-Pacific. He urged expanded payments connectivity, broader local-currency settlement, stronger regional bond markets and better hedging tools to reinforce the H

Citi FX hires Asia continue to increase, with seven senior sales and trading specialists joining since September as the bank targets rising FX flows and deeper client engagement. New hires include Manoj Goel to lead corporate FX sales for the India sub‑continent; Cassalynne Lou in Singapore corporate FX; Yusuke Aita in Tokyo and Renee Gao in Hong Kong for institutional coverage; Matthew Lim in Singapore for institutional FX; and traders Nicky Lam and Jonathan Chua for G10 opt

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

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

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

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

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

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