Insights
Why Asia needs its own gold hub
Gold has always played a special role in Asian cultures and history. Over the past decade, global demand for gold has increased exponentially. Asian countries have notably overtaken Western markets to become the largest importers of gold. Despite this shift in demand, the price discovery, clearing, and settlement of the yellow metal continue to concentrate in Western time zones. Hong Kong has a timely opportunity to become a gold hub for Asia.
Hong Kong prepares to move its cash market to T+1 settlement
Hong Kong is preparing for T+1 settlement transition in Q4 2027. This marks a major post-trade market structure change, aligning its cash market settlement cycle with the US, Europe, and other major capital markets. The shift will pressure operational readiness, automation, settlement efficiency, FX funding, and cross-border liquidity management for brokers, custodians, asset servicing teams, and global investors.
Singapore’ VCC funds: a “differentiating factor”
Singapore’s Variable Capital Company (VCC) fund structure has, in just five years, become globally competitive for a diverse array of investment strategies. It has become one of the city-state’s key differentiators as a global asset management hub.
Countdown to T+1
Finance firms worldwide are waking up to implications of T+1 settlement and most are unprepared for the conversion.
Competition in China’s custody market stiffens
China’s custodian banks have been on a roll over the past two decades. But now their margins are being squeezed and new challengers are appearing on multiple fronts. Apart from competition from within, custodian banks are also seeing their market share being eroded by securities companies in the mutual fund and private fund sectors. Foreign banks are also entering the scene.