{
  "id": 9649760,
  "title": "Asia’s wealth boom is making every strategy look right",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/asias-wealth-boom-is-making-every-strategy-look-right",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-24T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Business Times - Singapore",
    "slug": "the-business-times-singapore",
    "url": "https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/bt50/asias-wealth-boom-making-every-strategy-look-right"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The story of wealth in Asia is clear: it is moving to the East, with Singapore and Hong Kong leading the charge. Amid this optimism, two questions loom large for investors: will my money be safe here, and will anyone provide assistance in managing it? However, the path forward is not without challenges. The US Federal Reserve's uncertainty, high oil prices, and regional conflicts contribute to a volatile environment. In such times, investors seek safety and wait for the right moment to act.\n\nFor banks, the challenge is to provide both safety and a platform for investment. Trust is the foundation, followed by a platform that enables investment, and finally, the role of a human adviser. This adviser, equipped with artificial intelligence, helps maintain the relationship and guides clients through the complexities of investment decisions.\n\nThe boom in wealth is evident in the numbers. In Singapore, assets under management (AUM) rose 10.1% to S$6.7 trillion in 2025, with record wealth income reported by all three locally headquartered banks. However, capital is not choosing a specific city; it is choosing trust, a neutral jurisdiction, and institutions that will remain stable during market cycles.\n\nThe fastest-growing banks offer both trust and a platform for investment. While AUM is a key metric, it is not the only measure of success. The true measure lies in how the money is invested, diversified, and kept invested through uncertain times. In 2022 and 2023, money flowed into Singapore's banks and sat in deposits. This year, however, fee income has hit records, and 58% of wealth assets are now actively invested.\n\nThe focus is no longer static; it is about providing strategic wealth planning advisory and actively deploying capital in multi-asset investments across geographies and jurisdictions. Banks that have invested more in this year have seen record fee income, even as interest income fell. The industry is working towards building a continuum that caters to customers at different life stages, from first-jobbers to private bank clients with multimillion-dollar portfolios.\n\nDespite the rise of digital solutions and artificial intelligence, customers still value the human touch, especially when it comes to managing significant wealth. Banks and fintech companies are hiring advisers, but it is not just about headcount. The real progress lies in using platforms to automate routine tasks, allowing advisers to focus on providing meaningful advice. The result is a more efficient service that allows more people to be served and enables them to create wealth over time.",
  "summary": "The fundamental question is whether to keep a human adviser in front of every customer, not just the richest",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Business Times - Singapore",
        "title": "The two faces of wealth in Asia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/the-two-faces-of-wealth-in-asia",
        "published": "2026-09-24T23:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}