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TOP NEWS

Singapore Tightens Grip on Asia as Singapore Family Office Boom Tops 2,000

Singapore is cementing its lead as a hub for wealthy families as the Singapore family office boom gathers pace, with the number of single-family offices receiving tax incentives jumping from about 400 in 2020 to over 2,000 by end-2024, the Monetary Authority of Singapore said, helped by faster approvals and a competitive tax regime. Deloitte estimates there were about 8,030 single-family offices globally in 2024, rising to 10,720 by 2030, underscoring the industry’s rapid exp

FAMILY OFFICES

2 hours ago

The Rise of Silent Trusts and the Core Conflicts

In This Issue: • Why "Silent Trusts" are trending among wealthy families. • The fundamental tension of Secrecy vs. Accountability. • Dilemmas and Best Practices. For many wealthy settlors—particularly parents and grandparents - the instinct to protect their heirs often extends to protecting them from the knowledge of wealth itself. The fear is common: if children know they have a massive safety net, they may lose the drive to work, study, or build a life of their own. This ph

FOCUS

58 minutes ago

Thailand Seeks to Act as Thailand Myanmar ASEAN Bridge After Coup

Thailand said it wants to help reconnect Myanmar with ASEAN nearly five years after the 2021 coup, positioning itself as a Thailand Myanmar ASEAN bridge as Bangkok presses the junta to take steps toward dialogue and reduced violence in line with the bloc’s peace plan. Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said on Feb. 18 after talks with Myanmar Foreign Minister Than Swe in southern Thailand that Thailand wants to be a bridge back to ASEAN, urging Myanmar to avoid attac

ECONOMY

2 hours ago

Hong Kong SFC Says Cheng Family Entities in Hong Kong Takeover Rules Breach

Business units linked to Hong Kong billionaire Henry Cheng’s Chow Tai Fook Group agreed to pay up to HKD1.5bn (USD192m) to Giordano International shareholders after the Securities and Futures Commission found a Hong Kong takeover rules breach tied to the retailer’s ownership structure. The regulator said Chow Tai Fook Nominee and concert parties failed to make a mandatory general offer at HKD3.60 a share in 2016 when their combined stake topped 30%. It also cited a 2022 breac

REGULATION

2 hours ago

Family Offices Evolve Into Family Office Governance Platforms, Pantheon CEO Says

Family offices are shifting from founder-led investing outfits into family office governance platforms as entrepreneurs look to turn liquidity into multi-generational stewardship, Santosh Keni, CEO of Pantheon Global Family Office, said in an interview with Hubbis. Keni said many principals mistake hiring professionals for building an institution, arguing the first step is defining purpose and putting durable governance around decision-making, oversight and succession so the

FAMILY OFFICES

2 hours ago

WRISE Expands Family Wealth Push With New Taipei Client Centre

WRISE Taiwan family wealth expansion is under way as the Singapore-based firm opens a new client service centre in Taipei to deepen coverage of a market where UHNW assets are expected to reach USD1.9tr by 2029. The WRISE Taiwan family wealth expansion will see the Xinyi District centre offer advisory and consultation services and host education and engagement programmes focused on intergenerational planning and next-generation dialogue. Group Executive Chairman Derrick Tan sa

FAMILY OFFICES

1 day ago

Japan’s Q4 GDP Posts 0.2% Annualised Gain, Missing Forecasts

Japan Q4 GDP growth returned to positive territory but badly missed forecasts, underscoring the policy challenge facing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as households grapple with high living costs and the Bank of Japan edges toward normalisation. Japan Q4 GDP growth rose an annualised 0.2% in October-December, versus a 1.6% median estimate, after a revised 2.6% contraction in the previous quarter, government data showed. On a quarterly basis GDP gained 0.1%. Private consumption

ECONOMY

1 day ago

South Korea Startups Lead in AI-for-Investing Patents, Report Says

South Korea AI-for-investing patents are being driven mainly by startups and unlisted firms, signalling that venture-backed software companies are leading automation in financial investment, according to a report by the Korea Capital Market Institute. The report said nearly 70% of investment-related Korea AI-for-investing patents applications came from non-listed companies and startups, with software-as-a-service firms accounting for 67% of filings. Most applications targeted

ASSET MANAGEMENT

1 day ago

Thailand Upgrades 2026 Growth Forecast After Stronger Q4

Thailand 2026 growth forecast has been upgraded after the economy beat expectations in the fourth quarter, giving a boost to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s incoming administration. Thailand 2026 growth forecast was lifted after gross domestic product rose 2.5% year on year in October-December, accelerating from 1.2% in the previous quarter, the National Economic and Social Development Council said. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter basis, output jumped 1.9%, t

ECONOMY

1 day ago

Asia-Pacific to Drive Fastest Growth in Global Family Office Market

Asia-Pacific family office market growth is expected to outpace other regions as wealthy families expand cross-border portfolios and seek tighter control of complex structures, Research and Markets said in its Family Office Market Report 2026. The report forecast the global market will rise to USD21.55bn in 2026 from USD20.41bn in 2025, a 5.6% compound annual growth rate, and reach USD27.36bn by 2030. In Asia-Pacific, Asia-Pacific family office market growth is being driven b

FAMILY OFFICES

2 days ago

Asia’s Young Heirs Take the Wheel as USD5.8tr Wealth Shift Looms

Asia next-generation wealth transfer is reshaping how advisers work with families, as an intergenerational shift of up to USD5.8tr by 2030 changes decision-making, Maybank’s head of group wealth management Alice Tan said. The Asia next-generation wealth transfer reflects younger heirs’ overseas education and familiarity with financial markets, with some acting as chief investment officers within family offices. The shift is prompting advisers to move from directing portfolios

FAMILY OFFICES

2 days ago

SBI to Take Majority Stake in Singapore Crypto Platform Coinhako

SBI Coinhako acquisition plans will make the Singapore digital-asset platform a consolidated subsidiary of the Japanese group, as SBI Holdings moves to expand its regional crypto footprint. Under the SBI Coinhako acquisition, SBI’s wholly owned unit SBI Ventures Asset Pte. Ltd. has signed a letter of intent with Holdbuild Pte. Ltd. to inject capital into Coinhako Group and buy shares from existing investors, with the final structure and price still under discussion and subjec

ASSET MANAGEMENT

2 days ago

S&P Warns Vietnam Credit-Quota Phaseout and Basel III Could Widen Bank Divide

Vietnam credit-quota reform could reshape competition in the banking sector as the country pilots the removal of long-standing growth limits from 2026 and rolls out Basel III-style capital rules, S&P Global Ratings said. S&P said Vietnam credit-quota reform would shift the system away from administrative controls toward more market-based discipline, allowing well-capitalised banks to expand lending based on capacity rather than assigned quotas. However, it called the move a d

REGULATION

2 days ago

Private Equity Tops Allocation Plans for Asia Family Offices: J.P. Morgan Survey

Private equity allocation by Asia family offices is set to rise as investors adapt to geopolitical risks and inflation, according to a 2026 global survey by J.P. Morgan Private Bank. The study covered 333 family offices across 30 countries, including key Asia hubs such as Singapore and Hong Kong, and found portfolios remain heavily tilted toward public equities and private investments, which together account for more than two-thirds of assets. About 37% of Asia family offices

FAMILY OFFICES

3 days ago

PEOPLE MOVES

WRISE Expands Family Wealth Push With New Taipei Client Centre

1 day ago

Bank of Singapore Hires Alts Veteran to Deepen UHNW Offering

3 days ago

UBS Hong Kong Wealth Hiring Targets 50 Bankers After Record North Asia Year

Feb 11

Macquarie Asset Management Asia Wealth Expansion Targets Family Office and Private Bank Demand

Feb 10

Blackstone Plans Asia Hiring Push to Tap Private Market Demand

Jan 28

Raffles Family Office Names Ex-BNP Paribas Banker as Managing Director

Jan 27

Wisdom Group Multi-Family Office Names Arthur Fong as Managing Director

Jan 26

Fiera Expands Japan Private Markets Distribution With Senior Hire

Jan 20

HSBC Private Bank Strengthens Asia Wealth Planning With Senior Hires

Jan 20

UBS Strengthens APAC Wealth Management With Senior Investment Hire

Jan 9

VIDEO RECAP
w/e 20th February 2026

INSIGHTS

INTERVIEW: Shield Xiao Dun | 17EdTech

Wealth Office

EVENTS

Asia Wealthy Families Pivot to Dubai as Family Offices Modernise

Dubai family offices are increasingly becoming a base for Asia’s wealthy families as family offices modernise their strategies, speakers said at the Family Office Summit. Organisers said the ecosystem now manages over USD1.2tr, as families push to separate legacy operating businesses from investment capital and professionalise decisions. Speakers said priorities are shifting from preservation to modernisation, with greater focus on AI, governance and new asset classes, includ

FAMILY OFFICES

3 days ago

Analysts Lift Malaysia 2026 Outlook as Domestic Demand Stays Strong

Malaysia’s 2026 outlook is improving as analysts point to resilient domestic demand, steady services activity and continued investment, even as external risks linger. Kenanga Research said momentum could deliver upside toward 5% growth in 2026 but kept its base forecast at 4.5%, citing a mixed export outlook despite firm semiconductor shipments and a policy push for industrial upgrading. Hong Leong Investment Bank raised its 2026 GDP forecast to 4.7%, above the finance minist

ECONOMY

3 days ago

Bank of Singapore Hires Alts Veteran to Deepen UHNW Offering

Bank of Singapore has hired an alternatives specialist to strengthen its ultra-high-net-worth offering as demand for customised products rises across Asia’s private wealth market. The OCBC-backed private bank appointed Bernard Heng as head of customised solutions, effective March 2, according to a statement. Heng will report to Lim Leong Guan, global head of the investment solutions group, and will lead the development and execution of complex products tailored to UHNW client

PEOPLE MOVES

3 days ago

Hong Kong CEOs Revenue Growth Outlook Tops Global Peers, PwC Survey Shows

Hong Kong CEOs revenue growth outlook outpaced global peers, with 98% expecting revenue to rise over the next three years, according to PwC’s 29th Global CEO Survey. The poll of 4,454 CEOs across 95 countries and territories found 87% globally forecast growth. More than half of Hong Kong chief executives, 58%, reported revenue increases from AI, while 17% said they achieved both revenue growth and cost reductions, above the 12% global average. PwC said 56% of Hong Kong CEOs c

ECONOMY

4 days ago

Hong Kong Regulated Crypto Trading Tools Expanded as SFC Allows Margin Financing

Hong Kong regulated crypto trading tools are being expanded as the Securities and Futures Commission loosened rules to allow licensed brokers to provide margin financing for digital-asset trading while setting guardrails for more leveraged products to deepen market liquidity. The SFC said brokers may extend financing to clients with strong credit profiles and adequate collateral, initially limited to bitcoin and ether but potentially expanded later. It also issued a high-leve

REGULATION

4 days ago

South Korea Crypto Exchange Inspections Widen After Bithumb Glitch

South Korea crypto exchange inspections were widened as regulators launched on-site checks of major platforms days after Bithumb mistakenly credited customers with 620,000 so-called ghost bitcoins. An emergency task force comprising regulators and the Digital Asset Exchange Alliance will inspect Upbit, Coinone, Korbit and Gopax, focusing on asset-verification procedures and internal controls, authorities said in a report to the National Assembly. The Financial Supervisory Ser

REGULATION

4 days ago

ALL NEWS

TOP NEWS

Singapore Tightens Grip on Asia as Singapore Family Office Boom Tops 2,000

The Rise of Silent Trusts and the Core Conflicts

Thailand Seeks to Act as Thailand Myanmar ASEAN Bridge After Coup

Hong Kong SFC Says Cheng Family Entities in Hong Kong Takeover Rules Breach

Family Offices Evolve Into Family Office Governance Platforms, Pantheon CEO Says

WRISE Expands Family Wealth Push With New Taipei Client Centre

Japan’s Q4 GDP Posts 0.2% Annualised Gain, Missing Forecasts

South Korea Startups Lead in AI-for-Investing Patents, Report Says

Thailand Upgrades 2026 Growth Forecast After Stronger Q4

Asia-Pacific to Drive Fastest Growth in Global Family Office Market

Asia’s Young Heirs Take the Wheel as USD5.8tr Wealth Shift Looms

SBI to Take Majority Stake in Singapore Crypto Platform Coinhako

S&P Warns Vietnam Credit-Quota Phaseout and Basel III Could Widen Bank Divide

Private Equity Tops Allocation Plans for Asia Family Offices: J.P. Morgan Survey

PEOPLE MOVES

WRISE Expands Family Wealth Push With New Taipei Client Centre

Bank of Singapore Hires Alts Veteran to Deepen UHNW Offering

UBS Hong Kong Wealth Hiring Targets 50 Bankers After Record North Asia Year

Macquarie Asset Management Asia Wealth Expansion Targets Family Office and Private Bank Demand

Blackstone Plans Asia Hiring Push to Tap Private Market Demand

Raffles Family Office Names Ex-BNP Paribas Banker as Managing Director

Wisdom Group Multi-Family Office Names Arthur Fong as Managing Director

Fiera Expands Japan Private Markets Distribution With Senior Hire

HSBC Private Bank Strengthens Asia Wealth Planning With Senior Hires

UBS Strengthens APAC Wealth Management With Senior Investment Hire

VIDEO RECAP w/e 20th February 2026

INSIGHTS

EVENTS

Asia Wealthy Families Pivot to Dubai as Family Offices Modernise

Analysts Lift Malaysia 2026 Outlook as Domestic Demand Stays Strong

Bank of Singapore Hires Alts Veteran to Deepen UHNW Offering

Hong Kong CEOs Revenue Growth Outlook Tops Global Peers, PwC Survey Shows

Hong Kong Regulated Crypto Trading Tools Expanded as SFC Allows Margin Financing

South Korea Crypto Exchange Inspections Widen After Bithumb Glitch

VIDEO RECAP
w/e 20th February 2026