Taiwanese mostly happy to keep capital at home despite China tensions, says Cathay executive
Taiwan markets seen in a state of 'precarious balance'
Cathay Financial to expand headcount by up to 10% next year
Aims to catch up with UBS in Taiwan private banking in 5 years
Adds picture available
By Faith Hung
TAIPEI, Nov 5 (Reuters) -Taiwan's ultra wealthy are keeping their assets in their home market despite escalating tensions with China, betting that the island's tech industry will continue to bring in robust returns, a senior Cathay Financial 2882.TW executive said.
Robert Fuh, chief executive of Cathay Financial's private banking unit, added that the division was confident enough of its prospects to expand and plans to increase its headcount of 180 by as much as 10% next year.
The potential for capital flight from Taiwan has often been cited as a risk by analysts and investors as China, which views the democratically governed island as its own territory, mounts a sustained military pressure campaign. That's included four major rounds of war games in the past two years.
People in Taiwan have learned to keep calm and carry on, Fuh said in an interview with Reuters on Monday.
"So far we have not seen our clients closing accounts and moving their assets offshore. Yes, there have been some, but it's not developing into a trend," he added.
He said a major factor in their reasoning was the importance of Taiwanese companies like contract chip manufacturer TSMC 2330.TW in the booming artificial intelligence industry, making investment opportunities on the island too lucrative to pass up.
"I think now is a time of precarious balance. Clients would rather remain in place than move. Taiwan stocks have been pretty immune to (cross-strait) tensions, mainly because Taiwan has built unique technological industries that no other countries would be able to replicate and build up any time soon," he said.
"TSMC's expansions into America and Japan leave investors with the impression of growth potential beyond imagination."
Taiwan, home to TSMC and many other suppliers to tech giants Apple AAPL.O and Nvidia NVDA.O, ranks as the world's 14th wealthiest economy per capita, according to a Forbes report based on 2024 GDP. That puts it ahead of China, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea.
TSMC's share price has almost tripled in the past two years while Taiwan's benchmark index is up 77%.
Cathay Financial is Taiwan's largest financial holding firm with around T$13.3 trillion ($415 billion) in total assets and the private banking unit also has offices in Hong Kong and Singapore.
UBS is currently the dominant player in Taiwan's private banking market.
"We hope to catch up with them in five years," Fuh said. Cathay Financial declined to disclose its current market share.
Reporting by Faith Hung; Editing by Edwina Gibbs
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
