Overview 

Unparalleled Financial Services Industry in Singapore

Why Hold Financial Services Events in Singapore?

Hub for Financial Services 

As a financial hub, Singapore is a launchpad for banks, wealth management firms, insurance corporations, commodities traders and treasury-related companies to facilitate meaningful connections and transform the industry.

As a hub, Singapore plays a major role in connecting global markets to Asia’s growing developments, with 77% of assets under management (AUM) sourced from outside Singapore and 89% of total AUM invested outside the country^vi.

Singapore’s close connections with multilateral development banks allow the country to support the development of the region. Singapore acts as a platform for Asian companies and infrastructure projects to gain funding, while the strong network of private investors present helps generate wealth development opportunities for enterprises.

To solidify Singapore’s position as a leading global financial centre in Asia, the government has put together a Financial Services Industry Transformation Map^vii which outlines steps for skills upgrading, continuous innovation and technology adoption. Testament to Singapore’s commitment and reputation, the sector outperformed 2020 targets from 2016 to 2020, achieving 5.7 per cent value-added growth per annum (exceeding the target of 4.3 per cent) and creating 4,100 net jobs per annum (exceeding the target of 3,000)^viii. And to cement Singapore’s competitive lead, the government will be injecting S$2 billion more into the Financial Sector Development Fund.

Singapore's close proximity to economic activity and financial talent makes it an ideal location for both large-scale international financial services industry events and smaller Asian business investment meetings that serve as pivotal forces in driving financial innovation.

Smart Financial Centre

To date, Singapore ranks as Asia’s top fintech hub and among the top five in the world, with more than 1,000 firms based in Singapore^ix. Notably from 2019 to 2022, Singapore fintechs attracted the highest level of venture capital investment, at US$34b^x.  

As a smart financial centre, one of Singapore’s key aims is to facilitate innovation in the financial sector and encourage the adoption of technology for increased efficiency and growth opportunities.

To support this culture of innovation, the Singapore government invested $250 million in 2020 to strengthen support for large-scale innovation projects and build a stronger pipeline of Singaporean fintech talent^xi. And in 2023, the country committed another $150 million to promote a vibrant technology ecosystem for the financial sector^xii. These have resulted in enhanced capabilities of existing firms and the creation of new industry sectors which include digital banks, mobile payment providers and insurtech firms^xiii.

For sustained growth, Singapore also hosts more than 50 innovation labs ^xiv.related to the financial sector today, up from almost none just five years ago. Together, they have embarked on close to 500 projects^xv. and created many new high-value jobs in the process.

Singapore's unwavering commitment to becoming a leading smart financial center makes it the ideal stage to convene regulators, innovators, and industry players to shape the future of smart finance.

Sustainable Finance

Recognising the risks for the financial sector brought about by climate change, a Green Finance Action Plan was implemented in 2019 to support a sustainable Singapore^xvi and boost the nation’s efforts to be a regional and global centre for sustainable finance^xvii.

Part of this plan includes developing the green bond market, which Singapore currently sits at the centre of, accounting for 60 per cent of ASEAN’s total green bond issuances in 2022^xviii. In 2022, the Singapore government also announced that it would issue up to $35 billion worth of green bonds to fund public infrastructure projects by 2030^xix, including Singapore’s first integrated water and waste treatment facility—Tuas Nexus.

Additionally, Singapore is advocating for the adoption of sustainability standards in corporate reporting. This includes promoting the use of environmental, social and governance guidelines in the decision-making processes of financial services companies.

As a thought and practice leader in this area, Singapore will continue to play an important part in shaping the future of sustainable finance both in the region and beyond.

Get Inspired 

Leveraging Singapore's prominence in finance and sustainable development, MICE events here convened global policymakers, finance experts and innovators and allowed for the facilitation of high-level policy discussions, fostered international partnerships, and catalysed initiatives that drive tangible change in sustainable finance.

Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF)

Since its inception in 2016, SFF has become the premier platform for the global FinTech community. The first fintech festival of its kind in Asia brings together the global FinTech community to engage, connect, and collaborate on issues relating to the development of financial services, public policy and technology.

The outcome of the show is evinced by the industry initiatives it has spurred, including an innovative national payment systems linkage between Singapore’s PayNow and Thailand’s PromptPay. SFF continues to drive the future of finance and fintech each year.

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SuperReturn Asia

Recognised as the best-in-class private capital networking event by the industry, SuperReturn Asia attracts senior level executives focused on private capital investing in Asia. In addition to gaining access to the latest market intelligence and unrivalled business opportunities, attendees can connect with thousands of decision makers from all parts of Asia’s private capital ecosystem.

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Singapore International Ferrous Week

The Singapore International Ferrous Week (formerly known as Singapore Iron Ore Week) seeks to be the global premier metals event bringing together top industry leaders and experts to delve into the latest developments, trends and challenges facing the commodities community.

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