Insights
Taiwan’s big ambitions
Taiwan’s big ambition as Asia’s Next Asset Management Hub
Taiwan is positioning itself as a leading asset management center in Asia, joining Japan in a regional race to attract global investment. With bold regulatory reforms and market-opening initiatives, Taiwan has gained strong momentum, but significant challenges still lie ahead in its quest to become a top-tier financial hub.
Japan at an inflection point
Japan’s asset management industry has been undergoing a significant transformation in recent years. Regulatory reforms and global capital flows have spurred meaningful growth in this traditionally conservative market. But unless Tokyo can address its structural challenges, its ambition to emerge as Asia’s leading powerhouse in asset management may not realise.
New Zealand punches above its weight
New Zealand’s asset management industry has been punching above its weight in collaboration with the government despite its remote geographical location and its small population of just over five million. One of its firms recently became the first to be approved to distribute funds across borders under the Asia Region Funds Passport scheme.
China’s bank wealth management business comes out of the shadows
China’s 25.8 trillion RMB wealth management market—now larger than its mutual fund industry—is entering a new era post-regulatory overhaul. With a new licensing regime, foreign competition, and the launch of Wealth Management Connect in the Greater Bay Area, innovation and transparency are reshaping bank-offered products.
Digital platforms transform China’s fund distribution landscape
Digital wealth platforms powered by big data analytics and artificial intelligence are rocking China’s fund distribution and wealth management market. They have rapidly developed into fund-selling powerhouses. Together with the push for investment advisory services, they have transformed China’s fund distribution landscape by bringing some much-needed diversification and discipline to the industry.
Tokyo’s bid to become a global financial centre
Japan has implemented a package of incentives to lure foreign fund houses to move to Tokyo, taking a big step forward on its plan to replace Hong Kong as Asia’s premier international financial centre. Despite these initiatives and Japan’s overall economic and other strengths, there are some intrinsic shortcomings that work against its plan.
Front-to-back outsourcing: the third wave
Front-to-back outsourcing has become a new battleground for securities services providers in addressing the evolving needs of asset managers. Demand for fast and accurate data is driving outsourcing of front-to-back office operations.
Unlocking China’s domestic wealth
China’s asset management industry has developed the depth and breadth that goes far beyond mutual funds over the past two decades. Foreign fund managers now have a number of routes to tap the vast China market.
A golden opportunity for foreign custodians in China
Most foreign players’ ability to unlock China's domestic wealth has been unimpressive over the past 20 years. Citigroup made headlines in September with the announcement that its China unit has been awarded a local fund custody license. How would it be different this time?
Foreign participation in China’s investment market
The Chinese investment market has been fast changing over the past two decades since it started. A multi-faced ecosystem has developed embracing diversity as well as specialisation. Although there are now multiple avenues for foreign participation, Chinese regulators can do a lot more to internationalise the industry .