By Bobby Bok, Head of Sales APAC
The modern-day “rewired” investor have undergone certain changes, prompting changes across the investment landscape. Senior executives within the industry have observed financial institutions leverage on evolving technologies, allowing for wealth creation with fewer restrictions.
Since joining GTN, I’ve had the privilege of engaging with fellow industry veterans at events like Money20/20 Asia and FIX 22nd Asia Pacific Trading Summit. What stood out was the widespread adoption of inclusivity-first practices by many financial institutions in APAC, driving innovation in the region.
Today’s investors are increasingly valuing convenience and flexibility in wealth creation. This shift in investor behaviour has spurred the emergence of numerous inclusion-centric innovations in APAC. Notably, asset fractionalisation and around-the-clock market access are revolutionising the investment landscape, offering significant benefits to investors.
Around-the-clock access to the US
The US market has always been a magnet for investors. However, in APAC, the time zone difference with the US has been a barrier, limiting investors’ ability to execute trades during regional daytime hours. Now, there’s a concerted effort to address this issue by providing around-the-clock access to US markets. This is made possible by advancements in electronic trading and algorithmic trading, which facilitate seamless execution across different time zones in real time. This presents more opportunities for investors and enhances market liquidity, allowing for continuous trading and price discovery.
Wealth creation through asset fractionalisation
Imagine owning a piece of a tech giant like Apple – even if your retail investors can’t afford the entire stock price, fractionalisation makes this a reality. This concept breaks down high-value assets like stocks or fixed income into smaller, more affordable units. This empowers investors with limited capital to participate in previously inaccessible markets and diversify their portfolios.
Fractionalisation promotes financial inclusion and economic empowerment of individuals from diverse backgrounds – a much-needed and wanted offering in our region. The impact is undeniable – an article earlier this year in The Asset outlined that In South Korea, where fractional shares trading has been available since 2021, 88.2% of investors in their 20s and 30s buy stocks. This trend is poised to continue, opening doors for a wider audience to participate in wealth creation.
As these trends gain momentum, we can expect a surge in collaborations and partnerships within the industry. This will unlock new avenues for business growth and ultimately empower a wider range of investors in APAC to achieve their financial goals.