Simon Littlewood

Global Finance presents its inaugural annual listing of the best global, regional and national banks that serve SMEs, for more than 60 countries and regions.

Singapore’s UOB stands out as a leader in serving small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) over the past year. Eric Tham, head of Group Commercial Banking; and Lawrence Loh, head of Group Business Banking, explain why.

There have been far fewer bankruptcies during the pandemic than in previous recessions, particularly among small businesses.

The Philippine central bank is helping commercial banks get rid of bad loans to help jumpstart an economic recovery.

The coming months will require regional banks to manage growing distressed debts and conserve their capital, causing many to look for partners.

As the Asian Development Bank shifts its 2020 Annual General Meeting to virtual, Covid-19 policy measures take center stage.

With fintechs and a technologically advanced population, Asian private banks look highly competitive—if they can surmount the Covid crisis.  

South Korea rose impressively to meet the COVID-19 challenge. Will it be able to reinvigorate its economy as well?

Smaller economies in the region are successfully positioning themselves as a manufacturing alternative to China.

Singapore is a global leader in fintech innovation.

Asia continues to lead the way when it comes to fintech.

Challenged by a rise in financial-crime compliance requirements, banks are boosting head count, automating and collaborating with regulators and third-party providers. 

Private-banking assets in East Asia will soon outpace Europe, but competition is fierce. Effective digitization holds the key to success.

Fearing loss of revenue as their business customers push to go paperless, Asia’s banking giants are forging new partnerships.

Digital and mobile technologies are rapidly transforming the way Asians use financial services. Is competition or collaboration the answer for traditional banks?

Australia cracks down on modern slavery.

With the growth in digital assets, there’s a growing need for secure custody. Fintech startups are ready, but where are the banks?

New York City joins Singapore and Hong Kong in embracing cryptocurrencies, albeit gingerly.

Financial innovation on the rise in nations where cryptocurrencies and related technologies are regulated rather than banned.

Low interest rates have distorted stock prices, real estate markets and balance sheets. When central banks finally shut off the spigot, it won’t be pretty.

New rules could make it harder for companies to book profits in places with favorable tax rates.

CFOs are now so consumed by the need to meet expanding compliance requirements, they’re finding it harder to focus on big-picture strategy. 

Transfer pricing—price-setting for sales within a corporate family—for maximum returns takes on heightened risk as governments crack down on creative tax-avoidance maneuvers.

Some believe Hanjin's bankruptcy signals that quantitative easing has no more power, and a global recession is on the horizon. 

Singapore | The Monetary Authority of Singapore is establishing a new team to bolster monitoring of financial institutions and enforcement of rules against money laundering.  

Amid the surge in global trade, financial institutions are revisiting the way they conduct transaction banking.

Even though the vote was a long time coming, few really prepared for the UK choosing Brexit. Now, business executives and political players are guesstimating the most likely scenarios and speculating how it will play out. 

President Jokowi is a radical departure from Indonesia’s political and military elite, which perhaps explains why he is such a populist leader at home. But foreign investors find him difficult to read.

REGIONAL FOCUS | EMERGING ASIA
The bigger the opportunity, the bigger the risk. This certainly holds true for frontier and emerging economies in Asia. Finding the right balance between the two is a key challenge for multinationals looking to invest there.