The Forest City fintech tax incentive will give eligible financial technology companies and related service providers access to a 5% corporate tax rate in Malaysia’s Forest City Special Financial Zone. The incentive is available for 10 years and may be extended for a further decade, subject to approval and continued compliance. Eligible businesses include fintech companies, financial global business services providers and foreign payment system operators. Qualifying activitie

New South Korea leveraged ETF rules require investors to complete simulated-trading courses before buying leveraged exchange-traded funds as regulators seek to curb speculative activity. The measures particularly affect products linked to major technology stocks including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Trading volume in the affected products has fallen to around 4% of its June peak, while the ETFs recorded USD1bn of outflows in August, putting them on course for their firs

Singapore Indonesia local currency settlement is now operational, allowing trade, direct investment and cross-border payments between the two markets to be conducted directly in Singapore dollars and Indonesian rupiah. The framework, launched by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and Bank Indonesia, is designed to reduce foreign-exchange risks and transaction costs while encouraging broader use of regional currencies. Appointed cross-currency dealers will facilitate settleme

FSB AI financial risks are increasing as advanced artificial intelligence changes the speed, scale and cost of cyberattacks, Financial Stability Board Chair Andrew Bailey has warned. In a letter to G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, Bailey said many jurisdictions lacked sufficiently developed systems to manage the deployment of advanced AI. He identified AI-driven cyber threats as the most immediate concern, warning that financial institutions’ dependence on a

Singapore family office gold allocations can now increase without breaching tax-incentive conditions after the Monetary Authority of Singapore removed a 5% portfolio cap on precious metals from Aug. 1. The change applies to funds and family offices operating under the Section 13O and 13U tax-exemption schemes, giving qualifying investors greater flexibility to hold physical gold as a geopolitical and portfolio hedge. Raffles Family Office said its baseline allocation remains

The first Hong Kong Five-Year Plan will be released alongside Chief Executive John Lee's annual Policy Address on Sept. 16, potentially providing greater clarity on how long-term development priorities connect with immediate government measures. Legislator Bill Tang urged officials to establish measurable performance indicators for innovation and technology, including research and development expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product and funding for gerontechnolog

Singapore family office legal services are expanding with the launch of The Little Law Corporation, a boutique firm targeting founders, family offices, private equity managers and multinational companies involved in cross-border transactions across Asia. Founder and managing director Shen Xiaoyin has more than 14 years of experience spanning commercial litigation, international arbitration, mergers and acquisitions and investment advisory work. Her previous roles include Alle

New Singapore fund manager tax measures have prompted some investment professionals to pause planned relocations to Hong Kong as competition between the two financial centres intensifies. Bloomberg reported that Singapore-based managers had put relocation decisions on hold after Monetary Authority of Singapore deputy chairman Chee Hong Tat outlined new tax and visa incentives during a Singapore Financial Leaders Network meeting. Singapore plans to exempt qualifying profit-rel

Indian family offices Singapore structures are gaining renewed interest as some private banks resume facilitating offshore remittances despite continuing regulatory uncertainty in India. The Economic Times reported that around INR15bn (USD171m) had been transferred over the past two months, with a Singapore bank, two law firms and a wealth manager advising families across major Indian cities. Banks had largely stopped facilitating such transactions after a Reserve Bank of Ind

Hong Kong annuity payments China access has improved after HKMC Annuity introduced direct monthly yuan payments for eligible retirees living in mainland China. The company, a subsidiary of Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation, will use Payment Connect to transfer guaranteed annuity income directly into qualifying mainland bank accounts. Its servicing bank will convert Hong Kong dollar-denominated annuity payments into yuan before sending them through the cross-border system, which

Philippine stock broker capital requirements could be increased as the Securities and Exchange Commission seeks to strengthen investor confidence and deepen domestic capital markets. SEC Chairman Francis Lim said the current PHP100m (USD1.6m) minimum capital threshold was established 25 years ago, while some brokerages continue operating with capital of about PHP30m. Lim said brokers need sufficient resources to support investor education, compliance and increasingly complex

HKEX listing applications will remain valid for up to 12 months instead of six under a temporary waiver designed to give issuers and advisers greater flexibility while reducing repeat filings. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing said the measure, supported by the Securities and Futures Commission, will run from Aug. 21, 2026, to Aug. 20, 2029. Eligible applicants must satisfy prescribed conditions and continue providing current business and financial information throughout the e

New Singapore fund manager tax breaks and expanded visa support are planned as the city-state seeks to strengthen its asset management industry amid intensifying competition with Hong Kong. Singapore will introduce tax exemptions covering profits earned by fund managers from managing certain investment vehicles, including single-family-office funds. The Monetary Authority of Singapore and finance ministry are expected to provide further details in the 2027 budget. MAS also pl

Singapore family office onboarding could be shortened to around one month by the end of 2026 as regulators and private banks streamline checks while retaining stronger scrutiny of wealth sources. The Monetary Authority of Singapore and Private Banking Industry Group initiative follows a review that found onboarding procedures had become excessive after the city-state’s 2023 money laundering scandal. Current processing can take more than six weeks. Lawyers said the reform repr

China’s digital yuan network has expanded to 30 authorised operators after the central bank added eight financial institutions as it seeks wider adoption of the state-backed digital currency. New participants include Ping An Bank, Bank of Shanghai, Bank of Hangzhou and Bank of Changsha, according to the People’s Bank of China. The lenders will begin providing e-yuan services after completing required business and technical preparations. The expansion forms part of China’s 15t

Singapore financial sector innovation will require greater willingness to take calculated risks if the city-state is to retain its competitive edge as technology transforms global financial infrastructure, former DBS chief executive Piyush Gupta said. Speaking at the launch of his book on Singapore’s financial sector, Gupta warned that the country’s reputation for stability could encourage excessive caution. He argued that policymakers should preserve trust while remaining wi

Hong Kong limited partnership funds have surpassed 2,000 registrations, marking a significant milestone for a regime designed to attract private equity, venture capital and other alternative investment vehicles. The government said the threshold was passed on Aug. 13, with registrations up 63% year on year at the end of July. The limited partnership fund framework was introduced in August 2020 to provide an onshore structure tailored to private funds. Hong Kong added a re-dom

Proposed Hong Kong treasury centre tax reforms are generating one to two enquiries a month as companies assess whether enhanced concessions could make the city more competitive with Singapore, according to PwC. The government consultation proposes expanding tax deductions for interest expenses to cover a broader range of corporations, bringing Hong Kong’s corporate treasury framework closer to Singapore’s arrangements. The measures form part of wider efforts to reinforce the

Singapore family office tax rules have been relaxed to provide greater operational flexibility while stronger checks are introduced on the origins of family wealth. The Monetary Authority of Singapore said revised conditions for single-family office funds took effect on Aug. 1. Applicants will receive more time to recruit investment professionals and greater flexibility in meeting requirements covering local expenditure and capital deployment. MAS has also removed continuous

Proposed Hong Kong fund tax breaks for asset managers and family offices will exclude proprietary trading firms because businesses investing their own capital do not meet the government's definition of an investment fund. The clarification potentially excludes firms such as Jane Street, Citadel Securities and Jump Trading from incentives being introduced as Hong Kong competes with Singapore and Dubai for investment managers and financial talent. The government plans to broade