A senior investment executive is leaving Raffles Family Office, Asian Private Banker has learnt. Hong Kong-based Julien Grunebaum, head of structured investments, is leaving the firm after five years, sources told APB. A spokesperson for Raffles Family Office declined to comment. APB has been unable to determine Grunebaum’s next career move. Grunebaum joined the firm in 2021 as the first […]

The post Raffles Family Office head of structured investments exits appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Driven by a 50% year-over-year surge in structured products revenue during a blockbuster 2025, RBC Wealth Management is betting on “idea generation” to retain its competitive edge, Kin Lok Lee, head of structured products, Asia, told Asian Private Banker. Yet, even those heights look modest compared to the current momentum. Just five months into 2026, year-to-date inflows are already on […]

The post RBC WM sharpens “idea generation” edge as structured product revenues surge 50% appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Structured products have gained significant momentum among Asia’s wealthy, fuelled by industry automation that enables relationship managers and clients to trade flow products more seamlessly alongside increased client education. Demand has risen sharply over the past few years as investors navigated a difficult fixed-income market and aggressive interest rate hikes. While fixed-income notes remain highly popular for locking in yields, […]

The post Arta Finance undercuts private banks with low-fee structured products appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Imagine an important client representing a substantial family office calls. They want a structured product, a tailored bet on a few shares they follow, built to pay more than cash if those shares hold firm or rise in value. Not so long ago, finding the structured product that matched a client’s precise needs was a headache. An RM might spend […]

The post In structured products, FinIQ wants AI to say “this is the trade” appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

HSBC Global Private Banking (HSBC GPB) has broadened its structured products suite with the launch of a new solution powered by artificial intelligence, as the bank continues to incorporate bleeding-edge technological trends into its offering. The new product, announced on Wednesday, allows wealthy clients in Hong Kong and Singapore to invest in a structured product linked to the Artificial Intelligence […]

The post Can AI beat the market? HSBC GPB thinks so with new structured product appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

While fixed-income and equity trading businesses have been difficult for many private banks over the last 12 months, Credit Suisse has gained strong momentum in structured products and derivatives trading with capital protection features. Structured products, which can be manufactured and packaged quickly by banks, have been in high demand because of their popularity with wealthy investors in Asia, despite […]

The post Credit Suisse: Structured products have been safe haven for clients appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

UBP has appointed a new head of structured products for the region, Asian Private Banker can reveal. Karrie Fung has joined the Swiss pure-play as managing director, head of structured products Asia, according to an internal memo. In her new role, she will assist wealth management and investment services in creating timely and targeted structured product solutions for UBP’s Asian […]

The post UBP appoints new head of structured products for Asia appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Equity-linked structured products in the internet and technology sectors accounted for a plurality of the total transaction amount of non-exchange traded investment products in 2020, mirroring a spike in client interest in equity derivatives during a boom year for stock markets. The findings of a joint survey conducted by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Hong […]

The post Equity-linked structured products in internet and tech dominated OTC sales in 2020: SFC-HKMA report appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Avaloq is partnering with Vontobel to offer tailored structured investment products to private clients in real-time on the Avaloq Wealth platform. Avaloq Wealth will be integrating Vontobel’s multi-issuer structured products platform deritrade® onto its solution. According to Vontobel’s website, deritrade® is an open-architecture marketplace which “connects buyers and sellers of custom-made financial products”. The new offering will first be made […]

The post Avaloq Wealth expands structured products offering with Vontobel’s platform partnership appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

HSBC has started offering in Hong Kong an AI-enabled Equity Index-linked structured product — AI Powered US Equity Index 5 (AiPEX5). It is the first structured product in Hong Kong that uses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data in equity selection and investing. The aim is to help investors capture growth opportunities in varied market conditions. AiPEX5 […]

The post HSBC AI-powered equity index-linked structured product available in Hong Kong appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Swiss fintech Leonteq has today announced the launch of “Quote”, its latest LynQs module which offers investors an automated click ’n’ trade platform for structured products. LynQs is the digital marketplace which Leonteq developed in-house in 2019. It is based on Leonteq’s analytical library and financial products engine and is available on the web or via mobile app. A number […]

The post Leonteq launches click ’n’ trade platform for structured investment solutions appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

As bond markets are upended by the reflation trade and by speculation that interest rates may rise, investors may need to pay attention to the duration risk in their fixed-income portfolio, said César Pérez Ruiz, head of investments and chief investment officer at Pictet Wealth Management said. “In bond markets, US yields continued to move higher and are now well […]

The post Short-duration bonds ahoy as fixed-income markets turn choppy appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

HSBC in Asia has rolled out a new structured product linked to a customised luxury consumption index that is positioned to benefit from the post-COVID economic recovery. The structured product is currently available to HSBC Jade clients who are classed as professional investors in Hong Kong (RMB-denominated) and HSBC Amanah clients in Malaysia (MYR-denominated), for which there is a Shariah-compliant […]

The post HSBC launches luxury index-linked SP for Asia HNWIs appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

US President Donald Trump’s restriction on US entities investing in some Chinese stocks has started to show its ripple effects in the region. Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase & Co. said they will delist some 500 structured products in Hong Kong, including warrants and callable bull/bear contracts (CBBCs) on Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng Index, and […]

The post Banks call off structured products on Trump directive appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

An AI-enabled US Equity 5 Index (AiPEX5) is now available at HSBC China, bringing offshore equity investment opportunities to affluent and HNW investors in the country. AiPEX5, part of the AiPEX family of indices, employs rule-based equity strategies powered by the AI technology of IBM Watson, which transforms big data into investment insights on equity investing. Compared to traditional investment […]

The post HSBC China introduces AI-powered structured products linked to equity index appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

DBS Private Bank is relaunching its ESG outperformance warrant, following the success of its 2018 bet that the EM Asia ESG Leaders Index would outperform the overall EM Asia Index. The structured product being launched today (Monday) is a new tranche from the DBS PB’s MSCI EM Asia ESG Leaders Index Outperformance Trade (ESG Outperformance Trade). By taking a long […]

The post DBS PB releases new tranche of ESG outperformance warrant appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

DBS Private Bank’s flagship investment portfolio — the DBS Chief Investment Office (CIO) Barbell Strategy Portfolio — has seen consistent inflow with a robust 7% in return this year, despite persisting market uncertainties. Hou Wey Fook, CIO at the bank, told Asian Private Banker that for the last two years the bank has been advocating the barbell strategy, which has two […]

The post DBS’s barbell portfolio gathers consistent inflows this year despite market volatility appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Strategies that benefit from the performance difference between investment vehicles have been gaining in recent months, with investors keen on profiting from the market volatility, according to UBS Global Wealth Management. Major market fluctuations have attracted a significant growth in transaction volume since the beginning of this year. UBS GWM recorded over 90% YoY growth in transaction-based income in APAC, […]

The post UBS: Relative play gains in a volatile market appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Fixed income came to the forefront as the most favoured asset class for Asia’s private banking industry in 2019, even with the outperformance of equities. BNP Paribas Wealth Management expects this trend to shift in 2020 as most of the bank’s featured strategies currently appear be to stock-linked, Asian Private Banker understands. “We emphasise to clients that ‘there’s no alternative’ […]

The post BNPP WM eyes equity-linked structured products for 2020, arguing ‘there’s no alternative’ appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Multi-dealer platform Contineo has launched a new solution for private banks in a bid to fill a servicing gap in the structured product secondary market. Antoine de Charnacé, CEO of Contineo, told Asian Private Banker the newly launched platform, the Lifecycle Management module, complements the firm’s existing suite of primary market-focused products — ‘Click and Trade’ and ‘Analytics’ — “very […]

The post New platform fills post-trade service gap for PBs: Contineo CEO appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

DBS Private Bank told Asian Private Banker that the appetite for US equities from Asia’s wealthy has been strong year-to-date and that fund flows have been dominated by thematic or sectoral strategies. “We are seeing decent flows on our funds desk [over the past six months in the US equity space],” said Hou Wey Fook, chief investment officer at DBS […]

The post Demand for US equity funds dominated by thematic strategies appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Structured products have been dominating non-traditional and more active indices usage as high net worth demand for index investing becomes more “creative”, an expert with S&P Dow Jones Indices has told Asian Private Banker. “Basically, when we create any new indices for private clients, normally the two most popular channels would be either through ETF product issuers which track our […]

The post Structured products dominate non-traditional indices usage among PBs appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

This is a sponsored article from Deutsche Bank. Deutsche Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to deliver best-in-breed flow and non-flow structured products and services to Asia’s private banks amidst a region-wide surge in demand from private clients. Over the past two years, the bank has doubled the size of its structured products sales team covering the region’s private banking segment […]

The post Growing demand for best-in-breed structured products plays to Deutsche Bank’s strengths appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has published guidance for authorised institutions (AIs) to disclose monetary benefits incurred when selling products that are not regulated by the Securities and Futures Ordinance (SFO). The circular, published on Friday, is in line with conclusions reached in the Security and Futures Commission’s (SFC) “Proposals to Enhance Asset Management Regulation and Point-of-sale Transparency”, which highlights regulations […]

The post HKMA sets disclosure standards for transaction of non-SFO regulated products appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

APB Mandate digs into the past interviews and stories and lists five of the most important products and investments trends within Asian private banking industry in 2017. 1) Equity appetite rebounds After a lacklustre 2015 and 2016, equity markets turned the corner in 2017 following the Trump election victory which triggered a global rally. Although Asian HNWIs were initially reluctant […]

The post Top 5 private banking investment trends in 2017 appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Contineo, the Hong Kong-based structured products platform, has partnered up with a Swiss trading, transactions and payment vendor to roll out a lifecycle management tool for its private banking clients. With SIX coming onboard as a strategic partner and investor, Contineo will integrate the vendor’s reporting solution, CONNEXOR, thereby expanding its post-trade services by providing “additional functionality to existing Contineo clients to […]

The post Swiss vendor joins Contineo’s structured products consortium appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Synpulse, a private banking integration advisor, has partnered with UBS to spearhead its actively managed certificates (AMCs) platform, Asian Private Banker can reveal. The consulting firm will provide its asset management client library of model portfolios to UBS’ NEO platform, which will enable the strategies to be manufactured into AMCs for accredited investors, private banks and independent asset managers (IAMs), […]

The post UBS and Synpulse enter into structured products partnership appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Leonteq’s group CEO has stepped down from his role after a difficult year for the independent technology provider, while two new members – including the former CEO of Julius Baer Asia – have joined the company’s board of directors, according to a statement from the firm issued on Friday. Jan Schoch has left his role as group CEO and will […]

The post Leonteq CEO steps down, former Asia head at Julius Baer joins board appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Contineo, a Hong Kong-based structured products platform, plans to offer a new lifecycle management tool that leverages distributed ledger technology – usually associated with blockchain – to private banks on its network, the firm’s MD tells Asian Private Banker. “We are introducing a new tool, lifecycle management, for our private banking clients that will allow them to receive notifications regarding […]

The post Contineo to roll out new lifecycle management tool for private banks appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) is holding consultations about the proposed guidelines on online distribution and advisory platforms, with much of the discussion revolving around client suitability requirements. The SFC proposes new scenarios that will trigger suitability requirements, based on whether investment products available online are considered ‘complex’. Asian Private Banker speaks to Clifford Chance consultant Helen Fok, […]

The post SFC’s proposed suitability requirements for online platforms will be “difficult” to meet, says law firm appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Although investor sentiment remains mixed in Asia, Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management managed to capitalise on improving fundamentals, posting its best-ever quarter in terms of investment activities particularly related to fee-based activities. “The first quarter of 2017 has been an all-time record high in investment activities for us in Asia,” says Ernest Chan, managing director, head of Asia investment management […]

The post Asian HNW investor demand reaches new high for Morgan Stanley PWM appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Vontobel Financial Products’ Asia division has added a former Goldman Sachs banker to its team, Asian Private Banker can reveal. Sebastien Moretton has joined Vontobel Financial Products in Singapore as a financial products advisor. In his new role, he focuses on providing structured product advisory services to Vontobel Financial Products’ private banking and independent asset manager (IAM) clients in Singapore. […]

The post Vontobel Financial Products hires ex-Goldman Sachs banker appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Deutsche Bank Wealth Management (WM) has officially gone live with its structured product app, ECQ Pricer, according to its structured product software provider, FinIQ. “The simplicity and convenience of the Mobile Apps for structured products make these products easier to understand and easier to explain, and thus help grow the market the structure products,” said Mahesh Bulchandani, FinIQ’s Asia Pacific CEO. […]

The post Deutsche Bank WM goes live with FinIQ-developed structured product app appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Industry experts say that structured product technology platforms have “empowered” execution desks rather than erode or replace them, downplaying fears surrounding the uptake of automated solutions over the past two years. “Today, structured product technology providers are focused on catering to the needs of the execution desk despite the hype surrounding the need to address the relationship managers (RMs) directly,” […]

The post Structured product execution desks are here to stay, say industry experts appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

A drop in the demand for structured products at Asia’s private banks has left multi-dealer platforms scratching for business, just two years after sales reached record highs. According to Asian Private Banker data, structured product sales have fallen by 14% year-to-date, on the back of weak client appetite following last year’s Shanghai Composite collapse and a wobbly start to 2016 […]

The post Platform pains: structured products slump ups pressure on multi dealer platforms appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Following a last year’s Shanghai mini crash which continues to weigh heavily on investors’ minds, transactional income across private banks have taken a hit including a 13.75% average drop in structured product flows in Asia, according to Asian Private Banker’s recent poll. But despite the drop in demand, structured product providers have muddled through, standing by private banks by delivering innovative ideas […]

The post Asia’s structured product flows fall 14% but providers do no relent appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Following a last year’s Shanghai mini crash which continues to weigh heavily on investors’ minds, transactional income across private banks has taken a hit including a 13.75% average drop in structured product flows in Asia, according to Asian Private Banker’s recent poll. But despite the drop in demand, structured product providers have muddled through, standing by private banks by delivering innovative ideas […]

The post Asia’s structured product flows fall 14% but providers do not relent appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

As structured products automation – and price standardisation – gathers momentum in the region, Asia’s structured product gatekeepers are becoming increasingly unsettled by senior salespeople exits, given the value these individuals can bring to the table. “In the market, pricing is a very flexible matter and capable salespeople [from investment banks] are good at using this flexibility to improve key […]

The post Structured product gatekeepers: “Senior derivative salespeople will be missed” appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Expect more sell-side investment bankers to cross over to the private bank, says one unnamed source at a European wealth manager, who believes that such moves are a natural corollary of IB cost-cutting and the close fit of certain roles on the private banking side. “When you factor in decreasing trading volumes, industry-wide cost-cutting and the shift towards automation, it makes sense for […]

The post More sell-side to buy-side talent shifts expected appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

For our latest ‘A chat with…’ column, we sit down with Stephane Honig, managing director, head of sales, wealth management and family offices, global markets Asia Pacific, BNP Paribas, who contends that investment banks must make structured products more relatable to investors in order to increase the penetration rate of capital markets products in Asia. What do you mean when […]

The post “Advisory is dead, long live advisory!” A chat with… Stephane Honig, BNP Paribas appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Vontobel Financial Products’ Asia division has added an ex-UOB banker to its team, Asian Private Banker can reveal. Linnda Chuang has joined Vontobel Financial Products in Singapore as a financial products advisor. Her role is focused on overseeing the bank’s private banking and independent asset managers clients. Her new role includes overseeing the bank’s private banking and independent asset managers […]

The post Vontobel Financial Products nabs ex-UOB banker appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

The year thus far has been testing for Asia’s private banks, with transactional business plummeting amidst turbulence in the equity markets; however, industry opinions over how structured products distribution will fare in the second half of the year are mixed, with more than 70% of respondents to an Asian Private Banker poll indicating that they expect volumes to either increase or flatten. In […]

The post Industry can't agree on structured product distribution over second half of year appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

The year thus far has been testing for Asia’s private banks, with transactional business plummeting amidst turbulence in the equity markets; however, industry opinions over how structured products distribution will fare in the second half of the year are mixed, with more than 70% of respondents to an Asian Private Banker poll indicating that they expect volumes to either increase or flatten. In […]

The post Industry can’t agree on structured product distribution over second half of year appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

In a move aimed to enhance its structured products offering, Bank of Singapore has licensed the Morningstar Exponential Technologies Moat Focus Index, in the process becoming the investment research provider’s first client of its kind in Asia. The index builds on the the concept of an economic moat, or sustainable competitive advantage that allows companies to maintain – if not, […]

The post BoS to leverage Morningstar indices to manufacture structured products appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Leonteq has named a new CEO for its Singapore division, replacing David Schmid, who will return to Switzerland.  Jeremy Ng, who joined Leonteq in May 2015 as deputy CEO, has been appointed CEO of the structured product distribution provider in Singapore. Schmid, Ng’s predecessor, has returned to Switzerland to take on the role of head of sales at Leonteq. Ng’s industry experience […]

The post Leonteq names new Singapore CEO appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

While structured products desks at private banks continue to grow, the demand for strong pricing and risk tools is low but is pegged to grow, believes Jose Ribas, the global head of derivatives, Bloomberg L.P. “A key trend is the use of independent valuations from a third party at private banks,” says Ribas. “We are seeing roughly 5% of private […]

The post Private banks need to bolster risk management tools for structured product trade appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

While a steady influx of fund houses into the Asia Pacific region is ramping up competition for new asset inflows, scale is likely to prove a deciding factor when determining who thrives and who withers. This is according to Christian Bucaro, head of private wealth distribution at BNP Paribas Investment Partners, who believes that players without the scale to supply […]

The post At the Gates with BNP Investment Partners: Scale makes sense for Asia’s sophisticated investors appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Complaints have risen over the potential misselling of accumulators linked to the renminbi (RMB), noted the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), referring to a product that since the global financial crisis has been sold more to high net worth investors than the general retail market. At a Securities and Futures Commission Forum in Hong Kong earlier this month, Meena Datwani, […]

The post Misselling complaints rise over RMB-linked accumulator sales appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Investment banks continue to have a brokerage approach to structured product distribution, even as private banks are adamant that they focus on a more sophisticated advisory role. “Best execution is no longer a differentiator,” says a capital markets veteran at a major private bank in Asia, echoing the sentiments of many industry players. “Any investment bank that isn’t truly committed […]

The post I-bankers need to generate more ideas, say p-bankers appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

As part of its ongoing shift from product manufacturer to investment solutions provider, BNP Paribas wants to pool resources to develop deeper relationships with top wealth houses, rather than cast a wide and undifferentiated net in the region, says its Asia global markets sales head to private banks. “My understanding is that in the past, structured products distribution in Asia was […]

The post BNP Paribas’ Asia global markets unit sets sights on top 20 private banks appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Amid a severely fragmented market for structured product technology providers and dampened market sentiment, Hong Kong-based structured products platform Contineo has confirmed that it has signed on four new private banks including J.P. Morgan Private Bank and BSI. Contineo could not reveal the names of the two other private banks due to confidentiality reasons. The announcements come at a time of […]

The post Contineo signs on J.P. Morgan, BSI, sees fluctuating volumes appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

As technology vendors continue to push their structured product platforms to private banks, an external vendor announced that it has signed on Credit Suisse to automate its structured product distribution. Credit Suisse has engaged FinIQ, a Singapore based software solution provider, to “implement technology components for automation of pricing and order management for structured products”, the vendor said in a statement. […]

The post Credit Suisse signs on structured product provider appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

The high barrier of entry into hedge fund strategies may bar most Asian HNWIs from access unless investors opt for solutions with smaller ticket sizes, such as structured products, and Deutsche Asset Management (AM) sees itself as the lone manufacturer in Asia capable of delivering. “We haven’t seen any asset manager that has been able to successfully roll out hedge […]

The post Hedge fund-linked notes a one-horse race in Asia, claims Deutsche AM appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

The external asset management industry is set to consolidate the way private banks have been doing so in Asia, says a veteran Julius Baer banker who recently set up shop as an external asset manager (EAM). “We are currently witnessing the beginning of an exodus trend of private bankers moving to the EAM industry. However the EAM industry is still highly fragmented […]

The post EAMs to consolidate, says former Julius Baer banker appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Less than a week after this publication reported the disintegration of consortium LAND, Leonteq today confirmed the news in its full-year 2015 results. It clarified too that it no longer distributes equity-linked structured investment products to DBS Bank. “The cooperation between DBS and Leonteq on the distribution of equity-linked structured investment products has ended. With DBS contributing 6% to overall turnover […]

The post Leonteq confirms end of DBS partnership appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

The private bank which was to have been the pilot buy-side institution for technology consortium LAND, has pulled the plug on the initiative, Asian Private Banker has learnt. Consequently, the project may not go live this year as planned, say insider sources. Leonteq, Avaloq, Numerix and DBS Bank joined hands to form LAND in March 2015, under the name Investment Products Distribution […]

The post Structured product platform LAND may be grounded appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Shortly after this publication reported that a Goldman Sachs banker had joined structured products provider Leonteq, it has learnt that another has followed in the same direction. Heiko Steinmetz joins Leonteq as its new head of platform partner integration, Asia, based in Singapore. This has been confirmed by a Leonteq spokesperson. Steinmetz has worked at Goldman Sachs for over a decade, […]

The post Another ex-Goldman Sachs banker joins structured products provider appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

A former Goldman Sachs managing director has resigned from his post to join the structured products provider, Leonteq. Satoshi Kubo has resigned at Goldman Sachs where he was a managing director of fund product sales for fixed income, currencies and commodities in Japan. He will join Leonteq based in Hong Kong, responsible for the business activities in Japan. A spokesperson from […]

The post Former Goldman Sachs banker joins structured products provider appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

In a bid to expand its structured product offering, Malaysian lender Maybank has announced a partnership with technology firm and structured product distribution provider Leonteq. Leonteq wil support Maybank in the origination and lifecycle management of structured investment products along the entire value chain. It will provide the automated platform for the Malaysian lender, with the first products made available […]

The post Maybank signs with Leonteq for structured product distribution appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

In a bid to expand its structured product offering, Malaysian lender Maybank has announced a partnership with technology firm and structured product distribution provider Leonteq. Leonteq wil support Maybank in the origination and lifecycle management of structured investment products along the entire value chain. It will provide the automated platform for the Malaysian lender, with the first products made available […]

The post Maybank signs with Leonteq for structured product distribution appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

As structured product distribution providers continue to jostle for a larger slice of the private banking pie, Vontobel Financial Products adds a decision making tool for buying structured products using smart and crowd data to its Deritrade platform. Vontobel Financial Products rolled out the Deritrade SmartGuide in Europe and Asia, extending its structured products distribution platform from investment banks to […]

The post Vontobel adds RM tool to its structured product platform appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Deutsche Bank’s asset management division successfully taps into the segment of Asian HNWIs that are married to structured products or lacking critical asset size but want to gain access to a broader basket of managers. The German lender managed to triple its fund derivatives sale to private banking clients in Asia amid a market that is unconducive to active or […]

The post Deutsche Bank’s fund arm triples fund derivatives sales appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Out latest pick comes from BNP Paribas Wealth Management. A solution linked to a basket of established funds with a volatility control mechanism We are at an inflection point where global growth is shifting from emerging to developed markets for the first time in this decade. Against this backdrop of changing dynamics, erratic price movements in equity, commodity and forex markets could persist due […]

The post APB Structured Product Pick appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Structured products distribution providers continue to expand in Asia with a former DBS head of trading and derivatives joining the niche sector. Calvin Yeap has left DBS for Leonteq as head of business innovation, based in Singapore. At DBS, Yeap spearheaded the structured products business and worked closely with Leonteq, Avaloq and Numerix to launch the IPDS initiative, a multi-issuer platform […]

The post Former DBS banker joins structured products provider appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

This article first appeared in Issue 92 of Asian Private Banker’s monthly print magazine, published in the first week of October 2015. ——— CTA strategies – or managed futures strategies – are gaining momentum among Chinese high net worth individuals and private banks in the country, says the general manager of fund manager Fortune SG’s Hong Kong business. “With return/return profile matching investors’ […]

The post Futures no longer a thing of the past appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

If there is any indicator that best illustrates how jittery Asian HNW investors are about the markets, it will be tenures of structured products sold in the region, which have fallen to just one month. According to BNP Paribas’ Stephane Honig, head of sales, wealth management and family offices distribution at the APAC global markets team, this compares to the […]

The post Structured product tenures in Asia fall to just one month appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

This article first appeared in Issue 92 of Asian Private Banker’s monthly print magazine, published in the first week of October 2015. ________ Multi-dealer platforms continue to jostle for the tag of Asia’s top structured products technology provider for private banks. As vendors attempt to plant their flags with promises of streamlining high volumes of trading, we ask if automation will impact growing headcount […]

The post Can automation replace human experts? appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

This article first appeared in Issue 92 of Asian Private Banker’s monthly print magazine, published in the first week of October 2015. ________ The recent market volatility has created more need for structured products that offer diversification. With the rise of external asset managers (EAMs), structured products sales and technology initiatives in the region, it is little surprise that the market has come together […]

The post FX focus offers alternative route to structured products appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Industry experts say the introduction of such a market could make sense, with this potential made more plausible by the emergence of post-trade features across distribution platforms. This comes as the volume of structured products traded at private banks continue to be buffeted by shifting macroeconomic winds. With the high demand for equity-linked notes (ELNs) this year, there is an ilk […]

The post Will Asia see a secondary market for structured products? appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

This article first appeared in Issue 92 of Asian Private Banker’s monthly print magazine, published in the first week of October 2015. ________ After what was a bumper year for structured products in Asia with sales surging by 13% in 2013 and 2014, the market has had to withstand undulating macroeconomic conditions this year. We take a look at this trajectory. […]

The post The rise and fall of structured products appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Following the battering of Asian financial markets in August, heads of structured products at private banks are seeing a return of yield-enhancing coupons in demand.  “Clients are tempted to leverage the high volatility through high yield products such as fixed coupon notes (FCNs) and autocallables where there is a short put option,” says one Singapore-based structured product head of tailor-made […]

The post Yield-enhancing structured products in demand appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Two months after an August fixing reform with the backdrop of a weakening yuan, the CNY and CNH have converged at about 6.34. Voluminous movements in the yuan market including onshore capital outflows, offshore deposit outflows, deleveraging, hedging and more, the market may have settled. This is key for a nation aiming to have its currency included in the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights […]

The post Weekly House View: CNY and CNH converges appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Credit derivatives are the shallowest pool of investments from private banks looking at structured products, says structured product heads as equity and FX-linked notes remain in high demand in Asia. “Equity and FX derivatives make up the majority of the structured product flow at Julius Baer in Asia,” Roger Meier, head of structured products Asia at Julius Baer says. “Credit […]

The post Allocation to credit derivatives is low, but growing appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Our latest pick comes from BNP Paribas. Transition Libor The timing of the US Federal Reserve’s first rate hike has been the most-widely discussed economic topic in 2015.  Wealth management clients are looking to adjust their portfolios in anticipation of this move but at the same time, they hesitate to invest in equity market on concern of short-term downside risk […]

The post APB Structured Product Pick appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Clients more concerned with risks flowing from a potential policy shift, than the rate hike itself, says a senior Pictet banker. “Asian investors’ appetite for high yield bonds faded after the sharp sell off on EM credits and the continued slump in China and South East Asia,” Richard Mak, Pictet’s Asia head of advisory services, tells Asian Private Banker. “Thin […]

The post Asia HNWIs continue to hedge on back of latest Fed decision, says pure play appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Private banks in Asia are continuing to help clients stop bleeding in FX positions, particularly with the Australian dollar as the country copes with challenges such as falling commodity prices. “We continue to be in hand-holding mode right now,” says one head of advisory, who has seen structured product volumes shrink drastically, compared to the euphoria of the first half […]

The post Asia band-aiding long AUD positions appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

It is one thing to be bearish on Chinese equities and another to expect prices to return to 2008 levels. Such has been the case, say Asia-based gatekeepers of structured products who are seeing peculiar strike levels for Chinese blue chip stocks. Asian Private Banker has learnt that private banks in Asia have been offered fixed coupon equity-linked notes tracking […]

The post Asian gatekeepers ponder “sensationalist” derivatives appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

It is one thing to be bearish on Chinese equities and another to expect prices to return to 2008 levels. Such has been the case, say Asia-based gatekeepers of structured products who are seeing peculiar strike levels for Chinese blue chip stocks. Asian Private Banker has learnt that private banks in Asia have been offered fixed coupon equity-linked notes tracking […]

The post Asian gatekeepers ponder "sensationalist" derivatives appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Client interest in yuan-denominated structured products have dampened significantly, say structured product heads at private banks, since China’s central bank surprised global markets on Aug 11 by lowering the yuan’s reference rate and causing it to slide by 3% against the greenback. “There’s little appetite for yuan structured products particularly FX and interest rate differentials,” a global markets head at […]

The post Demand down sharply for RMB-denominated structured products appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

We pick out the top five defining moments in the year so far, not just across the private banking board, but also in the specific niches of Products, Regulations, Technology and People Moves. We now continue with the top five moments in the product sphere. Multi-asset fund fever It sounds unlikely that Asian HWNIs would delegate a global portfolio, given their preference for a […]

The post APB Midyear Review – Products appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

In a bid to evolve its structured business capabilities, Nomura has promoted one of their own in Asia to global head of structured products, according to an internal memo seen by this publication. In his new role as head of global markets structuring, John Goff will look to strengthen the Japanese lender’s structured products business and leverage technology across the division, […]

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Amid increasing competition to monopolise the automated structured products distribution space, the private banking arm of Barclays has signed with AGDelta’s multi-issuer platform in Hong Kong and Singapore. Barcalys joins the buy-side roster of AGDelta’s DealStation platform for access to equity linked notes (ELNs). DealStation focuses on improving the efficiency of pricing, quotes and execution through an automated hub that […]

The post Barclays goes live with AGDelta’s structured products platform appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Our latest pick comes from Vontobel Investment Banking (Asia Pacific). Barrier reverse convertible with US banks, tech companies and automakers “In the event that none of the underlying securities – usually banks, technology companies or automakers in the US – reach or fall below the relevant barrier at final fixing, both the coupon and 100% of the nominal value shall […]

The post APB Structured Product Pick appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Not long after the structured products distribution platform went live on the market, Contineo has named a data scientist in Hong Kong to uncover what is commonly known as the “black hole of data” – big data thrown up by high volumes. Ada Tong joins the expanding industry-backed messaging network for flow structured products to develop new data streams and […]

The post Contineo adds data scientist to untangle “black hole of data” appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Vontobel Financial Products has added to its growing roster of distributors joining its structured products distribution platform in Asia, this time in the form of a French bank. Crédit Industriel et Commercial (CIC) has joined the Swiss financial group’s structured products multi-issuer platform, deritrade MIP. The platform automates the structured products distribution from investment banks to private banks including price […]

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As the latest product to undergo automated distribution, structured products distribution platforms are constantly changing to adapt to a competitive environment. Asian Private Banker takes a look at how these platforms look now. A new generation of structured products providers are insisting it holds the key to multiplying revenues and improving digital efficiency for private banks. Connectivity hubs, Contineo and […]

The post Technology special part 1- Structured products shift appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

With the Eurozone finance ministers rejecting proposals for a five-day bailout extension for Greece and Alex Tsipras’ last minute referendum, the likelihood of Greece leaving the eurozone, the “Grexit”, is high. As a result, private banks in Asia are seeing a flurry of activity from high net worth clients holding European equities. “The Greek debt crisis and its potential exit […]

The post Looming “Grexit” creating short-term concern for HNWIs in Asia appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Commerzbank has received its licence to trade onshore foreign exchange options in China from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), deepening its exposure to the onshore market. The licence will allow Chinese corporates and institutions to buy and sell FX options. This will allow Commerzbank to offer a wider range of structured product solutions for clients to hedge their […]

The post Commerzbank widens exposure to China market through licence appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Though non-flow products have comprised 30% of structured product distribution to private banks in Asia to date, investors are seeking exposure to Japanese equities through bespoke delta one notes, one Hong Kong-based head of distribution at an investment bank says. “Interest in thematic-driven equity delta one notes have been in demand over the last two months,” he says. He adds […]

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Six months after the automated structured products platform launched in Asia, Contineo goes live today. “Our agnostic platform is open to all participants and, through our Advisory Group, we are bringing the industry’s key players together for the first time to develop a set of standards that will benefit us all,” Mark Munoz, managing director of Contineo said. The multi-issuer […]

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A newly launched structured products distribution platform with Avaloq, Leonteq, DBS and Numerix, will go live with its first pilot and private bank, DBS Private Bank in 2016. The Singaporean bank is currently on the platform’s sell side, distributing its equity derivative products. DBS Private Bank will now go-live in April 2016 on the buy-side. “The IPDS platform is slated […]

The post DBS Private Bank to go live with structured products platform in 2016 appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Feeding into the region’s penchant for trading structured products and the rising demand for multi-asset solutions, investment banks challenge fund houses with an algo note aimed at replicating performance. “Multi-asset funds have been around for a long time and they go in and out of vogue depending on the prevailing market conditions,” says Bryan Henning, managing director and head of […]

The post Algo note sales at private banks challenge multi-asset managers appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Over the last two years, high net worth individuals (HNWIs) in Asia are growing more sophisticated in their knowledge of structured products, opting for notes with varied payoffs – non-flow products – in addition to plain vanilla structures, Calvin Yeap, head of equity derivatives trading, Singapore at DBS Bank says. “We have definitely seen investors become more comfortable dealing in […]

The post Investors look for equity-linked structured notes with varied payoffs appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Weeks before the structured products platform provider backed by a hub of investment banks will go live, Contineo expands its presence with a new addition. Julie Chen joins Contineo as the head of operations. She will oversee the firm’s next steps as it plans to go live at the end of the month. Chen will report to CEO of Contineo, […]

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European pharmaceutical stock linked ELN Currently we see demand in ELNs that are linked to European pharmaceutical stocks. This allows clients to enjoy a better risk versus reward through a combination of auto-callable levels with a conditional coupon at a different level and a conditional protection on the downside (European knock-in). The client can comfortably look for a higher yield […]

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High net worth individuals (HNWIs) are allocating up to 30% in dual currency notes (DCNs) within their structured product investments as volumes have increased over the last four to six months, says one investment counsellor at a Hong Kong-based private bank. “While ELNs (equity-linked notes) continue to be the favourite among high net worth investors with 70% allocation to the structured […]

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Non-flow structured products distribution now comprises 15% of structured product distribution to private banks in Asia, according to one Hong Kong-based head of distribution at an investment bank. “The structured products trend we are seeing within private banks is that 85% of structured products distributed to them are flow products while non-flow comprise of only 15%,” he says. Private banks […]

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In line with the recent spike in demand for equity-linked notes (ELNs), Asian investors have been increasing their allocation to European-denominated ELNs by 10% in the past three months, says one Hong Kong-based head of exchange for futures and swaps sales for Asia. “We are seeing a significant increase in ELNs with European equities particularly from the German and French […]

The post Allocation in European-denominated ELNs up 10% appeared first on Asian Private Banker.

Principal protected securities: Clients having made 30% or more in the recent rally are showing interest in principal protected securities as a means of locking in those gains. We have seen a lot of interest in 90-95% downside principal protected structures with unlimited upside performance participation. Depending on the underlying, the tenor range is from three months to 12 months. Before the [Hong Kong […]

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The third PBOC interest rate cut in   six months – this time by 25 basis points – has led to investors locking in profits, says a Hong Kong head of investments at a private bank. “After the strong rally which took place over the past few weeks after Easter, people may have been worried about whether the momentum could continue or […]

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