The Asia Wealth Market 2010

Based on the global World Wealth Report, the Asia-Pacific Wealth Report looks at the behavior of high net worth individual (HNWIs) and the responses of wealth management providers in twelve core markets: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. These markets together account for 95.0% of the regions gross domestic product (GDP). The Asia-Pacific Wealth Report is available in English, Korean, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese.

Latest Headlines

Press Release: Asia-Pacific HNWIs population rebounded past pre-crisis levels in 2009, matching Europe for the first time, while Asia-Pacific HNWI wealth surged in 2009, erasing losses seen in 2008.

Spotlight: Wealth management firms in the region face new client demands. The key to success is holistic management of operational changes and impact.

Key Findings from the 2010 Asia-Pacific Wealth Report

• Asia Pacific’s population of HNWIs increased 25.8% to 3.0 million in 2009, catching up with Europe’s HNWI population. HNWI wealth in the region increased 30.9% to US$9.7 trillion in 2009, surpassing that of Europe’s HWNI wealth in 2009.
• Ultra-HNWIs, or individuals with investable assets of at least US$30 million, rose 36.7% to 19,600 while ultra-HNWI wealth jumped 42.6% in 2009.
• Japan is the single largest HNWI market in Asia-Pacific, accounting for 54.6% of the Asia-Pacific HNWI population and 40.3% of its wealth at the end of 2009.
• China remained the second-largest HNWI base in the region and fourth-largest in the world up 31.0% from the previous year.
• Hong Kong’s HNWI population had the highest percentage gain in the world, up 104.4% to 76,000. This growth did not fully recoup the large declines Hong Kong saw in 2008.
• Asia-Pacific HNWI investors ended 2009 with 27% of their assets in equities and 26% in real estate, both up from the previous year where crisis-driven flight increased the allocation to cash-based instruments.
• HNWIs in Asia-Pacific remained primarily invested in their home regions in 2009 though the proportion invested outside the region rose to 36% up from 33% the previous year.
• Moving forward, China and India will lead the way in the region with economic expansion and HNWI growth likely to keep outpacing more developed economies.