Industry News

The Milken Institute’s 2026 Global Opportunity Index highlights Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines as Southeast Asia’s leading investment destinations. The report, released on 7 April, underscores the region’s resilience and growth amidst global challenges, attracting significant global capital inflows. The index evaluates investment attractiveness using 101 variables across five categories, including Business Perception and Economic Fundamentals.

Malaysia ranks highest in the region and 23rd globally, buoyed by strong institutions and economic fundamentals. Vietnam follows, ranking second regionally and 39th globally, with impressive economic performance and financial sector development. Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, has improved significantly in Financial Services, climbing from 78th to 38th place since 2022. The Philippines, despite strong growth prospects, faces governance and regulatory challenges that may hinder long-term investment.

Matthew Aleshire, director of GeoEconomics at the Milken Institute, noted, “Countries that can maintain macroeconomic stability whilst deepening their financial systems and strengthening governance will be best placed to attract long-term investment.”

The report also highlights Singapore’s consistent ranking among the top 20 most attractive countries for investors, placing 7th globally. The Milken Institute’s index uses data from sources like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, incorporating updated indicators to reflect evolving investment trends. The full report is available on the Milken Institute’s website.

CIMB Group Holdings Berhad has announced plans to expand its presence in ASEAN’s affluent wealth segment as part of its Forward30 strategy. This initiative aims to strengthen the bank’s cash and deposit franchise whilst enhancing cross-sell opportunities across the Group. The affluent segment in ASEAN is projected to grow by 5%-6% annually, reaching 65%-70% of the population by 2030.

The bank’s approach focuses on providing holistic wealth, advisory, and banking solutions, supported by a dedicated Chief Investment Office and personalised Relationship Manager advisory. CIMB has also invested in digital capabilities, offering real-time portfolio tracking and AI-enabled tools for its frontliners. Strategic partnerships will further expand its wealth, protection, and legacy solutions.

CIMB’s strong presence in Singapore serves as a key hub for affluent customers seeking cross-border and global investment opportunities. The bank plans to grow its Wealth Asset Under Management two-fold by 2030, aiming for a Non-Interest Income contribution of 33%-34%.

In January 2026, CIMB launched its Private Wealth service in Indonesia, with plans to expand to Malaysia and other markets. Indonesia is seen as a particularly attractive market due to its economic fundamentals and growing middle and upper-income segments.

CIMB’s strategy is to deepen relationships with high-value clients, strengthen deposit growth, and increase fee-based income through investment and advisory products. The bank believes ASEAN’s wealth landscape remains underpenetrated, offering significant opportunities for growth.

Aon plc has announced the appointment of Winnie Loh as the real estate and data centre leader for Southeast Asia, effective immediately. Based in Singapore, Loh will spearhead the strategic direction and client delivery of Aon’s capabilities in these sectors across the region. Her appointment comes as data centre investments in Southeast Asia are on the rise, with increasing complexities in risk profiles related to development, financing, and long-term operations.

Loh, who joined Aon in 2021, brings over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. She will continue her role as director within Aon’s Commercial Risk team. Her expertise will be crucial as digitalisation, cloud adoption, artificial intelligence, and resilience expectations reshape the sector. Jon Pipe, head of Commercial Risk in Asia for Aon, noted, “Winnie’s appointment reflects both the pace of growth we’re seeing in the region and the increasing sophistication of the challenges our clients are navigating.”

The appointment underscores Aon’s commitment to enhancing its data centre and digital infrastructure capabilities, aligning them with real estate and broader construction and infrastructure services. Andrew Minnitt, CEO of Singapore and head of Southeast Asia for Aon, highlighted that clients are seeking advisers who understand the intersection of data centres with real estate and infrastructure risks. “Winnie’s appointment strengthens our regional leadership and supports our focus on delivering more integrated, lifecycle-led solutions for clients across Southeast Asia,” Minnitt stated.

This strategic move by Aon aims to provide clients with insight-led advice to assess risk, build resilience, and make informed decisions across the full asset lifecycle.

Southeast Asia has experienced an 86% surge in gaming-related cyberthreats during the second half of 2025, as reported by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky. Singapore reflected this regional trend with a 22% rise in such threats, highlighting the growing risk to young gamers and their families.

Kaspersky’s findings reveal that popular games like Roblox and Minecraft are frequently exploited by cybercriminals. These games’ customisable features make them attractive targets for malicious actors who create fake game-related tools or mimic popular games to deceive children into visiting fraudulent websites or downloading compromised files. Vietnam and Thailand saw the most significant increases, with threats rising by 202.5% and 104.4%, respectively.

The implications of these cyberattacks extend beyond individual victims, potentially affecting entire households. Young gamers may inadvertently share sensitive information, such as their parents’ credit card details, which can be used for financial theft or other illicit activities. Additionally, malware downloaded on shared family devices can compromise the privacy and data of all users.

Choon Hong Chee, Head of Consumer Channel for APAC at Kaspersky, emphasised the importance of protecting digital interactions within families. “These threats endanger not only the cyber safety of our young gamers but also that of their households,” he stated.

To combat these threats, Kaspersky advises users to avoid installing applications from untrusted sources, regularly scan for malware, and educate children on cybersecurity. Parents are encouraged to use digital parenting apps like Kaspersky Safe Kids to ensure a safe online experience for their children.

The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) has revealed a 5% decline in investment banking fees in the Asia Pacific region, excluding Japan, for the first quarter of 2026. The total fees amounted to $5.3b, representing 15% of the global share. CITIC emerged as the top earner in the region, securing $340.6m in fees.

Equity capital markets (ECM) underwriting fees saw a significant rise, reaching $1.3b, marking a 62% increase from the previous year. This surge was the highest first-quarter total since 2023. Conversely, debt capital markets (DCM) fees decreased by 3% to $3.2b, and syndicated lending fees plummeted by 43% to $311m. Advisory fees from completed mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions also fell by 47% to $512m.

M&A activity in the region experienced a 6.3% decline year-on-year, totalling $212.5b. However, the number of announced deals increased by 3.4%, driven by mid-market activity. High Technology led the sector with $66b in deals, nearly tripling last year’s figures.

In ECM, the region saw a three-year high of $61.2b, a 40.3% increase year-on-year. China dominated with 61.7% of proceeds. Initial public offerings (IPOs) rose by 51% in proceeds despite a 19% drop in the number of IPOs.

The DCM sector raised $1.2t, a 2.7% decline from last year. China accounted for 79.6% of the proceeds, with government and agencies leading sector activity.

These figures highlight the shifting dynamics in the Asia Pacific investment banking landscape, with significant growth in ECM and challenges in other areas.

Mastercard has announced the successful rollout of its first wave of authenticated agentic transactions across ASEAN, marking a significant step in its AI strategy. This initiative, conducted in collaboration with UOB, aims to enhance secure, AI-initiated payments across the region. Mastercard is also set to establish a new AI Centre of Excellence in Singapore later this year, further cementing its commitment to innovation and governance in AI-powered commerce.

The initial pilots in Singapore and Malaysia demonstrate the region’s readiness for AI agents that enable secure transactions. Mastercard’s collaboration with UOB leveraged the bank’s extensive network, ensuring scalability across diverse markets. “The first wave of authenticated agentic transactions across ASEAN shows how quickly the region is embracing secure, AI-enabled commerce,” said Safdar Khan, Division President, Southeast Asia, Mastercard.

Mastercard’s Agent Pay framework, which includes tokenisation and verifiable intent, ensures that AI-initiated transactions are secure and trustworthy. This framework was co-developed with Google to create a tamper-resistant record of user authorisation, providing a shared source of truth for consumers, merchants, and issuers.

The upcoming AI Centre of Excellence in Singapore will combine Mastercard’s innovation hub, cybersecurity capabilities, and AI expertise. This centre will be the largest innovation space in Asia Pacific, focusing on advancing AI across the region. “Trust is the currency of the AI economy,” Khan noted, emphasising the importance of data in transforming payments into seamless experiences.

Mastercard’s efforts are supported by a global network of over 2,000 data scientists and engineers, reinforcing its long-standing use of AI in fraud detection and risk management. The new centre aims to build a foundation for secure, interoperable, and inclusive AI-initiated payments across Southeast Asia.

Asia-Pacific (APAC) is emerging as a key player in the global sustainable finance landscape, according to ING’s latest Sustainable Finance Pulse. The report forecasts a rebound in global sustainable finance issuance to approximately US$1.62t in 2026, up from US$1.56t in 2025, with APAC showing relative stability and growth.

In 2025, APAC’s sustainable finance issuance remained consistent with 2024 levels, bolstered by a surge in green bonds and loans. ING played a significant role, mobilising €166b in sustainable finance, a 28% increase from the previous year, surpassing its €150b annual target set for 2027. The bank’s involvement as a Sustainable Finance Coordinator in over 75% of transactions contributed to record volumes in the region.

Real estate and infrastructure are identified as pivotal sectors for transition activity, with clients seeking financing for efficient buildings and resilient assets. Notable transactions include Stoneweg European REIT’s second green bond in Singapore and Philippine National Bank’s PHP15.7b ASEAN sustainability bond.

Martijn Hoogerwerf, head of ING APAC’s Sustainable Solutions Group, noted, “In 2026, we expect more growth from APAC, and potentially a pick-up in transition issuance as policy frameworks develop.”

Despite geopolitical uncertainties, ING anticipates that real-economy investment needs, particularly in energy transition and infrastructure, will drive sustainable finance activity in 2026. The focus on practical, bankable green and transition financing solutions is expected to continue, reinforcing APAC’s role in the global sustainable finance market.

The Asia-Pacific (APAC) mobile services market is projected to grow from $310.6b in 2025 to $347.3b in 2030, driven by a 2.3% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), as revealed by GlobalData. This growth is primarily attributed to the expansion of 5G networks and the increase in mobile subscribers across the region.

According to GlobalData’s Asia-Pacific Mobile Broadband Forecast (Q4 2025), mobile data services will continue to be the largest revenue contributor, bolstered by the proliferation of high-average revenue per user (ARPU) 5G services. Srikanth Vaidya, a Telecom Analyst at GlobalData, noted, “With most developed markets achieving widespread 5G penetration, and emerging markets like Pakistan and Sri Lanka preparing for full-scale rollouts, revenue growth for mobile data services will remain strong.”

In Pakistan, operators such as Ufone, Jazz, and Zong have secured 5G licences, with Zong and Jazz launching services in March 2026. Similarly, Sri Lanka’s Dialog and Mobitel have commenced 5G services, expanding their networks nationwide.

Government initiatives in countries like Australia, China, and India are further supporting 5G expansion through national strategies and public sector investments. China is expected to maintain its position as the largest 5G market, with 88% of mobile subscriptions on 5G by 2030.

Vaidya also highlighted the expected rise in average monthly data usage from 26.6GB in 2025 to 45.6GB in 2030, driven by increased consumption of online content. However, mobile voice service revenue is anticipated to decline at a CAGR of 9.2% as consumers shift to internet-based communication services.

C-Hawk Technology, a California-based manufacturer of high purity plastics, has announced the expansion of its Southeast Asia operations with new facilities in Johor Baru, Malaysia, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This move aims to meet the growing demand for localised production and advanced manufacturing in the semiconductor market.

The new facilities will introduce ultra-high-purity (UHP) orbital/TIG welding and PFA tube bending capabilities, enhancing C-Hawk’s service offerings. CEO Chase Zunino stated, “This investment reflects our commitment to growing alongside our customers and supporting their manufacturing operations in Southeast Asia.”

The Malaysian facility spans 200,000 square feet and currently employs over 300 people, with plans to increase to 400 by the end of 2026. It focuses on precision plastics and cleanroom assembly. Meanwhile, the Vietnam site, covering 96,000 square feet, specialises in contract manufacturing and full system builds, supporting complex semiconductor manufacturing programmes.

Peri Kasthuri, COO of C-Hawk, highlighted the strategic importance of these expansions, noting, “With expanded operations in Malaysia and Vietnam, we are strengthening our ability to support customers across multiple aspects of semiconductor equipment manufacturing.”

These expansions underscore C-Hawk’s long-term commitment to Southeast Asia as a pivotal manufacturing hub for the global semiconductor industry. The company is also engaging with regional universities and community programmes to foster local workforce development and engineering talent.

Frasers Hospitality, a division of Frasers Property, has unveiled plans to launch 18 new serviced and hotel residences across Asia by 2028. This expansion is spearheaded by a new flagship Fraser Suites in Bangkok, scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2026. The move aims to strengthen the company’s focus on serviced living in the region, driven by increased cross-border mobility and evolving work-travel patterns.

The company has secured six new signings in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, and Japan, with two properties set to open this year. These include Capri by Fraser Penang and Fraser Residence Putrajaya in Malaysia, and Fraser Residence Hinode City in Hanoi, Vietnam. The expansion reflects Frasers Hospitality’s strategy to cater to the rising demand for longer-stay accommodations.

Chief Executive Officer of Frasers Hospitality, Eu Chin Fen, stated, “Our focus is on expanding Frasers Hospitality’s serviced living portfolio in a disciplined and deliberate way, prioritising markets and formats where demand for longer-stay accommodation is strengthening structurally.”

The new Fraser Suites Bangkok will introduce a refreshed brand with curated, experience-led programming. Located in a 45-storey tower in the heart of Bangkok, the 261-room property will offer contemporary Thai-inspired design and wellness offerings.

In China, Frasers Hospitality will expand into the premium rental segment with Modena by Fraser properties in Chengdu and Dalian. Meanwhile, Fraser Place Roppongi Tokyo will offer 120 serviced apartments in Japan’s cultural district.

These developments underscore Frasers Hospitality’s commitment to expanding its footprint in Asia, aligning with changing travel and work trends.