Asset themes

Asset owners in APAC reported a 100 basis point drop in target allocations to real estate in 2025, marking the steepest decline among their global peers.

From data centres to hybrid lodging assets, institutional and family office investors are testing exposure to South Korea’s real estate.

Institutional investors are reallocating billions toward commodities that power the energy transition and serve as modern safe havens.

The allocation gap between institutional and retail investors in private markets will persist despite expected growth in individual participation, says JP Morgan Asset Management's global CEO, who predicts increased transparency in alternatives while warning of supply constraints in private credit.

Institutional investors are now deploying a full spectrum of impact strategies, from catalytic capital to measurable "happiness return" frameworks.

Stablecoins are moving from crypto exchanges into Asia’s trade networks — reshaping payments, regulation, and the region’s financial infrastructure.

As institutional investors across Asia Pacific scour the globe for yield and diversification, insurance-linked securities are moving into the mainstream, offering returns that are uncorrelated with the whims of the stock market.

Southeast Asia’s new sovereign investor is rapidly investing in the region’s growth and green transition, while Singapore’s GIC notes that easing rates, a weaker US dollar, and reforms are drawing global investors back to Asia.

Singapore-based Racson Capital is building disciplined, conviction-driven investing in private credit and real estate, with a special focus on Australia.

As India faces headwinds from US tariffs and market volatility, investors see reforms becoming institutionalised while external challenges remain manageable due to the country's domestic orientation.

A move away from US assets is accelerating as investors seek refuge in European bank debt, a market offering stability from ECB policy and insulation from tariffs and geopolitical ructions.

Risk-based capital frameworks across Asia are fundamentally changing how insurance investment teams approach asset allocation, with interest rate challenges and capital efficiency becoming central to investment strategy development.