Asset themes

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) continue to gain ground against traditional mutual funds, with actively managed versions growing fast in what was once a specialised market segment.

With assets under management now clocking in at over $200 billion, Taiwan's exchange-traded funds market has catapulted to third spot in the region behind China and Japan.

North America and Europe dominate the private debt market globally, but Asia-Pacific's fast-growing economies offer fertile ground for expansion in the asset class.

South Korean institutional investors are transforming private equity secondaries from opportunistic investments into strategic portfolio tools amid growing market volatility.

The unresolved dispute over military-use rare earths materials in US-China trade negotiations threatens to fragment global supply chains, creating both challenges and opportunities for investors across Asian markets.

As distribution rates remain near historic lows across private equity and real estate, Asia Pacific investors showing increased interest in secondaries, private credit, and alternative structures emerging as regional solutions.

India’s reduced vulnerability to global trade disruptions, combined with improving policy frameworks and infrastructure development, creates a compelling case for foreign investment across multiple asset classes and sectors.

Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund's recent policy change embraces impact investments as part of its sustainability approach, signaling a strategic shift for the world's largest pension fund to capture long-term value creation.

With long-term liabilities to match, Singlife adopts a very disciplined, prudent yet flexible approach to credit allocation, prioritising fundamentals and quality even while seeking yield-enhancing opportunities in private credit.

As global supply chains recalibrate amid tariff wars and geopolitical tensions, India is positioning itself as not merely an alternative but an essential manufacturing destination.

Structural resilience and thematic alignment are redefining private credit in Asia, as allocators weigh liquidity constraints and macro risks amid a shifting capital landscape.

Thailand’s latest regulatory shift removes licensing barriers, enabling traditional financial institutions to invest in digital assets without additional hurdles.