Hong Kong philanthropy hub credentials have been strengthened after the city ranked third globally for its potential to attract charitable giving from wealthy individuals, according to research by wealth intelligence firm Altrata. Hong Kong placed behind New York and Seoul in Altrata’s inaugural Giving Opportunity Index, which assessed 100 cities worldwide. The index evaluates cities based on concentrations of wealth, donor affinity and the strength of philanthropic infrastru

A new Hong Kong Chongqing blockchain platform has been launched to support cross-border financial services by validating information without transferring or storing original documents. The Chongqing-Hong Kong Cross-boundary Data Validation Platform aims to reduce compliance and privacy risks associated with sharing financial information between the two markets, according to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. The platform is operated by Chongqing Credit and WeBank Technology Se

Singapore treasury AI adoption is gaining momentum as finance teams increasingly incorporate artificial intelligence into daily operations, although system integration difficulties and skills shortages remain significant obstacles, according to HSBC. The bank’s Redefining Treasury in Asia Pacific 2026 report found that 74% of Singapore respondents expect AI to be extremely or very useful within three years, down from 84% in the previous survey. However, 70% identified system

Hong Kong retirement planning is becoming more uncertain as workers consider the potential impact of artificial intelligence on employment, income, and their ability to achieve financial independence, according to T. Rowe Price. A survey of 1,004 working residents aged 30 and above found that 55% believed AI had made retirement less predictable compared with the previous generation. Almost half, or 49%, expressed concern about disruption to employment or business income, whil

Family office governance and business succession are among the expanding priorities of the Advisory Board Centre as organisations navigate artificial intelligence, geopolitical uncertainty, and changing global markets. The organisation held its Megatrends Summit 2026 in Melbourne on October 9, bringing together advisers to examine how technological disruption and economic uncertainty are reshaping business strategy and governance. Discussions focused on the role of advisory b

The HKMA investment summit is expected to attract senior executives from leading international financial institutions when Hong Kong hosts its fifth Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit from November 2 to 4. Executives from HSBC, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, UBS, and Citadel Securities are expected to participate, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the preparations. Representatives from Standard Chartered, Franklin Templeton, State Street, and Bain Capit

Hong Kong FinTech Week will join forces with StartmeupHK for a major international event from November 2 to 6, bringing together financial institutions, technology companies, investors, and entrepreneurs to explore emerging innovations and cross-border opportunities. Organisers expect more than 45,000 participants, 1,000 speakers, and 800 sponsors, exhibitors, and startups. Delegations from more than 30 mainland Chinese and international markets are expected, with representat

South Korea bank data breaches have prompted President Lee Jae Myung to order a comprehensive investigation following hacking attacks that exposed customer information at major financial institutions. Shinhan Bank said personal information belonging to around 25,000 customers was leaked, including names, telephone numbers and annual income. Hana Bank reported a separate breach affecting 89 customers, while Woori Bank and NH Nonghyup Bank experienced hacking attempts but preve

APAC banks digital services are becoming increasingly important to customer retention as consumers demand more personalised financial advice and AI-enabled banking capabilities, according to research by Temenos and Celent. The study found 72% of Asia-Pacific consumers were only moderately satisfied or less satisfied with their primary financial institution. Better online and mobile banking would persuade 43% of APAC consumers to switch institutions, while 58% want more financ

Singapore seniors digital payments are increasing rapidly as older customers become more comfortable using mobile banking for online shopping and overseas travel, according to OCBC. Digital payment transactions made through OCBC’s mobile app by customers aged 60 and above increased nearly 60% in the year to June 30, 2026. The number of senior customers using the app for digital payments rose almost 30%. PayNow transactions by seniors on e-commerce and livestream shopping plat

Samsung AI agents could fundamentally change workplace practices and corporate culture as artificial intelligence moves from conversational tools towards systems capable of independently performing tasks and making decisions, according to Samsung Electronics co-CEO Jun Young-hyun. Speaking as Samsung hosted its annual AI Forum in Seoul, Jun said the impact of AI agents would extend beyond technological innovation to reshape how companies operate and employees work. The event

Hong Kong AI financial planning is becoming increasingly accepted by banking customers, although users continue to demand human oversight and strong protection of personal information, according to the Hong Kong Institute of Bankers. An HKIB survey of 400 people found more than 60% use AI daily or weekly, while half have already used artificial intelligence tools for financial planning. However, customers continue to place importance on human involvement. About 48% said acces

Citi Taiwan investment banking ranked first in market revenue year-to-date as the US bank expanded its role in cross-border financing and mergers and acquisitions involving Taiwanese companies, according to Dealogic data. Citi said it has raised more than USD12bn for Taiwanese clients this year, including financing through convertible bonds and global depositary receipts, with technology companies accounting for a significant proportion of activity. Since 2020, the bank has r

Citi agentic AI Hong Kong initiatives are expanding as the bank works with regulators and industry partners to accelerate adoption of artificial intelligence across the city’s financial sector. Citi’s annual fintech forum, themed “Beyond AI-Ready: Shaping the Agentic Future of Finance”, brought together regulators, financial institutions and fintech companies to discuss applications across wealth management, banking and payments. The bank showcased Citi Sky, a conversational

Singapore AI safeguards proposals include exploring a United Nations framework convention to establish international principles and institutions governing rapidly developing artificial intelligence technologies. Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told the UN General Assembly that attempts to pause AI development were unlikely to succeed given US-China competition and powerful commercial incentives, making international rules and institutions increasingly important. He propo

The Hong Kong accounting qualification pipeline will continue receiving government support as authorities seek to strengthen the supply of professionals serving the city’s financial sector. Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau Under Secretary Joseph Chan said the government would continue backing the Qualification Programme operated by the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants. The programme provides training across accounting, business and finance while d

BNP Paribas Asia transaction banking operations will come under the leadership of Aymar de Liedekerke Beaufort as the French lender strengthens its cross-border corporate banking platform between Asia and Europe. Beaufort, currently Asia-Pacific head of global banking, has also been appointed regional head of transaction banking and will oversee both businesses from September. Based in Hong Kong, he will report to Asia-Pacific CEO Paul Yang. Beaufort succeeds Philippe Noirot,

Zhang Yiming Asia richest person status has been established after the ByteDance founder’s fortune exceeded USD105bn, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Zhang, 43, has seen his wealth increase eightfold from USD13bn in March 2019, when Bloomberg began tracking his fortune. He now ranks 18th among the world’s wealthiest people. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao follows among Asia’s richest individuals with USD81bn, while Fast Retailing founder Tadashi Yanai has USD63.

Southeast Asia AI financial decisions are becoming increasingly common, with around four in five consumers having acted primarily on artificial intelligence advice or recommendations, according to UOB. The bank’s 2026 Asean Consumer Sentiment Study surveyed 5,000 consumers across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. Consumers in Vietnam and Indonesia reported the highest rates of positive outcomes from AI-assisted financial decisions, while Singapore had the

GXBank IFC MSME financing could support up to USD110m in lending to Malaysian businesses under a risk-sharing partnership designed to expand credit to underserved companies. The International Finance Corporation, the World Bank Group’s private-sector investment arm, will provide up to USD4.95m in unfunded first-loss coverage, according to GXBank. The facility will allow the Malaysian digital bank to increase lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, including comp