Stephanie Li

Private banking client inflows into hedge funds at DBS Bank in the first six months of 2026 have already eclipsed the total recorded for all of last year, driven by wealthy Asian investors pivoting toward alternative strategies to bolster portfolio resilience. The surge reflects a broader portfolio pivot as clients seek to manage tech concentration risks and buffer against persistent…

The region's wealthtech sector has drawn yet another contender, as Lighthouse Canton rolls out its proprietary wealthtech platform to capture clients sandwiched between mass-market robo-advisors and traditional private banks. Varun Mittal, Keenai The wealthtech platform, Keenai Wealth, is currently operating in closed beta, with an official public launch set for 19 August 2026, when the firm will announce the platform's…

When Werner Schlossmacher began his banking career in the '90s, the industry was making the transition from monochrome green-screen terminals to desktop computers. Decades later, the now chief operating officer (COO) for Barclays Private Bank Asia sees the exact same technological watershed unfolding today. “We are at another significant technology inflection point. AI and generative AI are already reshaping how…

A veteran Royal Bank of Canada executive is retiring after more than 25 years with the Canadian lender, triggering a senior leadership transition in Asia, according to an announcement on Thursday. Rod Ireland, RBC Rod Ireland, who leads RBC's Asia wealth management and APAC Global Markets businesses—overseeing key institutional client relationships, coverage, and regulatory governance across Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Australia—will…

Julius Baer Nomura Wealth Management (JBNWM) has made a senior appointment in Tokyo to strengthen its leadership bench and drive growth in Japan, according to a statement on Thursday. Junichiro Ozawa has been appointed head of sales and Japan representative at JBNWM, effective 3 August 2026, subject to regulatory approval. Junichiro Ozawa, Julius Baer Nomura Wealth Management Based in Tokyo,…

Taiwan's top financial regulator signalled a major policy shift on 5 May 2026, igniting hopes of keeping billionaire wealth onshore, after the Financial ​Supervisory Commission (FSC) quietly opened the door to recognising dynasty trusts. The move paves the way for wealthy families to establish onshore irrevocable, century-long succession vehicles designed to bypass the generational handoff gift or estate tax liabilities. …

BNP Paribas Wealth Management (BNP Paribas WM) is targeting an even younger cohort of next-generation heirs with a programme in Hong Kong to help drive next-gen client stickiness and retain assets amid a major inter-generational wealth transfer in Asia. The move comes as global wealth managers, including UBS, Morgan Stanley, and Union Bancaire Privée (UBP), have also expanded their next-generation…

Several years ago, alternative assets were little more than an afterthought in Thailand — a satellite slice of a wealthy investor's portfolio added for flavour rather than foundation. Today, that paradigm has shifted dramatically. For a growing tier of wealthy Thai investors, private assets have transformed into a strategic allocation. Triphon Phumiwasana, chief investment officer at K WEALTH at Kasikornbank…

Wealthy Asian investors are increasingly abandoning transactional trading in favour of structured portfolio advice, driving double-digit AUM growth across digital advisory platforms. BNP Paribas Wealth Management's digital advisory platform, MyAdvisory, has clocked a compound annual AUM growth rate of over 20% over the past five years, reflecting a sharp shift among wealthy Asian investors from transactional trading to fee-based portfolio…

Building on double-digit revenue growth in the first half of 2026, Deutsche Bank's Private Bank is deepening its market penetration across Southeast Asia beyond its footing in Indonesia and Singapore, eyeing substantial growth opportunities in Malaysia and Thailand. Indonesia is projected to lead global wealth creation with its ultra high net worth population — those holding US$30 million or more…