The Malaysia family office scheme has attracted indicative assets under management of MYR20.8bn (USD5.1bn), strengthening the country’s ambitions to become a regional wealth management centre. The Securities Commission Malaysia said the government plans to introduce a multi-family office model under Budget 2027, expanding the existing Single Family Office Incentive Scheme. The proposed framework is intended to attract international wealthy families and asset owners while broa

Hong Kong double taxation agreements are being extended to six additional jurisdictions, strengthening the city’s international tax treaty network and providing greater certainty for cross-border investors. The government is advancing comprehensive double taxation agreements with Barbados, Jordan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Maldives, Norway and Rwanda, bringing its treaty network to 60 jurisdictions. Orders approved by the Chief Executive in Council on October 6 are scheduled f

Hong Kong SFC powers over initial public offerings and listed companies are set to expand under proposed regulatory changes expected to take effect during the first quarter of 2027. The Securities and Futures Commission will be able to impose conditions on IPO applicants and listed issuers, including requirements that continue after listing. The measures would provide regulators with alternatives to immediate trading suspensions when addressing corporate misconduct or emergin

Taiwan family office services are expanding beyond Kaohsiung after the Financial Supervisory Commission authorised 11 banks to offer their services nationwide, supporting the island’s ambitions to become a major Asian asset management centre. The regulator announced on October 8 that 11 of the 17 domestic and foreign banks operating in Kaohsiung’s wealth management zone had satisfied requirements covering internal controls, risk management, customer complaints, and employee t

The HKEX multi-asset ecosystem is set for expansion through longer trading hours, international partnerships, yuan-denominated commodity products, and tokenisation, according to Chief Executive Bonnie Chan Yi-ting. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing is discussing extending trading sessions across its derivatives and cash markets to improve market accessibility. The exchange operator also intends to strengthen international partnerships, particularly in the Middle East, Southeas

Tighter offshore trust rules in China are creating uncertainty over Singapore’s appeal to wealthy Chinese families, as Beijing increases scrutiny of offshore trusts and overseas investments following the city-state’s own anti-money-laundering crackdown. Wealth advisers said enquiries from Chinese clients seeking to establish trusts and family offices had slowed, with some plans paused while investors assessed the tax changes. Singapore had more than 2,000 single-family office

Changes to Hong Kong’s retail fund rules will give managers greater flexibility while strengthening investor safeguards, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) said. Enhancements to the Code on Unit Trusts and Mutual Funds are due in November to improve the competitiveness of the city’s retail fund market. They include a Value-at-Risk approach to managing derivative exposure, enabling broader investment strategies and product offerings. The SFC will also streamline requi

A planned stock market overhaul in Vietnam will transfer all stocks listed on the Hanoi Stock Exchange to the Hochiminh Stock Exchange by the end of 2026, the State Securities Commission (SSC) said. SSC vice chairman Hoang Van Thu said technical testing between the exchanges and the Vietnam Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation was progressing as planned. The transfer date will depend on impact assessments and test results. The regulator is also studying a classifica

New MAS AI risk guidelines set supervisory expectations for Singapore’s financial institutions, with implementation beginning in October 2027. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said the guidelines cover all financial institutions and AI technologies through a principles-based, risk-proportionate approach. They address four areas: board and senior management oversight, management of AI risks throughout the technology life cycle, risks associated with third-party AI ser

South Korean retail investors have lost an estimated KRW2.3tr (USD1.7bn) through leveraged ETFs and other single-stock exchange-traded products linked to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, Financial Supervisory Service data showed. The cumulative losses were recorded across 10 major brokerages, including Mirae Asset Securities, Kiwoom Securities, Samsung Securities and NH Investment & Securities, between 27 May and 14 August, according to data released by opposition lawmaker C

Singapore family office tax exemptions could be expanded to include digital payment tokens and insurance policies as authorities consider giving single family offices greater flexibility in managing investment portfolios. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said the Monetary Authority of Singapore will update the designated investment list covered by the family-office tax exemption framework, although no implementation timetable or detailed changes have yet been announced. Spe

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

A proposed Hong Kong corporate tax incentive would give qualifying companies preferential rates of 5% or 8.25% for up to five years as the government seeks to attract high-value businesses. Financial Secretary Christopher Hui said the regime would target advanced manufacturing, innovation and technology, headquarters operations, logistics and supply-chain management, and finance. The preferential rates would represent a substantial reduction from Hong Kong’s standard 16.5% co

Singapore private bank account opening times are shortening, with nearly half of new accounts opened between June and August completed within one month, according to the Association of Banks in Singapore. The improvement comes as the Private Banking Industry Group targets a median account-opening time of one month by the end of 2026. The Monetary Authority of Singapore and the industry group established a working group in 2025 to tackle onboarding delays, which can extend fro

Hong Kong and Malaysia dual listings will become simpler under a new regulatory framework designed to reduce duplication and compliance costs for companies seeking simultaneous access to both equity markets. The Securities and Futures Commission, Securities Commission Malaysia and Hong Kong’s stock exchange have introduced streamlined procedures covering companies pursuing a primary listing on either Hong Kong’s Main Board or Bursa Malaysia’s MAIN Market alongside a simultane

Singapore and China ASEAN cooperation could play an important role in strengthening regional economic integration as Singapore prepares to assume the bloc’s chairmanship in 2027, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said. Speaking at the FutureChina Global Forum, Gan said deeper ASEAN economic integration would be a priority for Singapore’s chairmanship and argued that a stronger and more resilient ASEAN should be a shared priority for Singapore and China. He identified trade,

China economic policy support is set to strengthen as the State Council seeks to sustain growth and achieve the government’s 4.5%-5% target amid signs of weakening momentum. The cabinet, chaired by Premier Li Qiang, called for more effective implementation of existing measures and faster issuance and deployment of government bonds, according to a state media readout. Authorities also want major infrastructure projects included in the 2026-2030 Five-Year Plan to begin construc

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

New Philippines structured warrants rules have established a regulatory framework allowing broker-dealers and investment houses to offer products linked to listed shares, bonds, indices and exchange-traded funds. Under Securities and Exchange Commission Memorandum Circular No. 27, Series of 2026, issuers and guarantors must maintain at least PHP400m (USD6.4m) in unimpaired paid-up capital while structured warrants remain outstanding. Non-collateralised warrants generally requ

China wealthy individuals tax enforcement is intensifying, with authorities establishing specialist teams to track and collect liabilities from some of the country’s richest people, Bloomberg reported. The teams reportedly include government officials, inspection specialists and regulators, with some assigned to individual billionaires. The initiative is intended to strengthen authorities’ ability to examine sophisticated financial structures established with assistance from