Taiwan Stock Exchange, Tokyo Stock Exchange
Japan’s first exchange-traded fund which only invests Taiwan equities has been listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Edith Lee, Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) president, attended the ETF listing ceremony in Tokyo.
The ETF – issued by Daiwa Asset Management – provides Japanese investors with exposure to Taiwan's technology sector, where AI and semiconductor companies play a dominant role. Technology stocks make up about 72 per cent of Taiwan's total market capitalidation.
The fund tracks Cathay SITE's 00881 Taiwan Technology Leaders ETF and represents the first Japan-listed ETF directly tied to the Taiwan stock market.
Since its inception in 2003, Taiwan's ETF market has grown to become the third largest in the Asia-Pacific region. As of the end of August 2025, a total of 294 ETFs were listed, with combined assets under management (AuM) of NT$6.77 trillion (about $210 billion). Over the past decade, Taiwan's ETF market has expanded more than 30-fold, outpacing the 5.4-fold growth of the global ETF market during the same period, TWSE said in a statement last Friday.
More than 15 million individuals now hold ETF positions, equivalent to nearly two-thirds of Taiwan's population. Trading activity is dominated by high-dividend and technology-focused ETFs.
Representatives at the Daiwa Asset Management ETF listing ceremony
Sun Life
Singapore branch has expanded its offering for high net worth and ultra-HNW clients, launching two indexed universal life (IUL) products – SunBrilliance IUL II and SunBrilliance Indexed Savings. The launch follow its flagship SunBrilliance IUL plan, rolled out in 2023, aimed at clients seeking a balance of wealth accumulation and legacy planning solutions.
IUL products have gained steady traction in Singapore’s HNW space as they combine insurance protection with savings and market-linked investment returns, SunLife said. The uncertain global economic backdrop has reinforced the appeal of such solutions, and the new products reflect growing demand for diversified options that cater to different risk appetites and financial objectives, the firm continued in a statement about the launch late last week.
“The growing demand for IUL products reflects our clients’ increasing financial sophistication and desire for greater investment control," Christopher Albrecht, chief executive officer of Sun Life Singapore, said. "Our expanded IUL suite is designed to offer the best of both worlds: the security of lifetime protection coupled with market-linked returns. By tying these products to the S&P 500 index, we’re opening doors to higher potential returns while still providing crucial downside protection.”
The SunBrilliance IUL II builds upon the earlier version with several enhancements. These include a higher multiplier factor of 125 per cent (up from 120 per cent), an increased cap rate on the Optimum Indexed Account of 10.80 per cent per annum, and a new guaranteed loyalty bonus starting from the 11th policy year. Policyholders will also benefit from fund charges being waivered and the ability to make penalty-free partial surrenders from the same policy year onwards.
Certain features from the earlier SunBrilliance IUL remain, including “Legacy Plus,” which enables death benefits to be paid in annual instalments for up to a decade, and a philanthropic pledge under which Sun Life Singapore donates 0.5 per cent of premiums (up to $20,000 per policy) to charity. The insurer said this reflects its long-standing commitment to sustainability, supporting initiatives in areas such as diabetes prevention, mental health, and financial resilience.
The second new product, SunBrilliance Indexed Savings, has been designed to meet wealth accumulation and multi-generational legacy planning needs. It offers two indexed accounts linked to S&P 500 performance, alongside flexible provisions for wealth transfer such as the ability to change ownership, appoint contingent beneficiaries, or split a policy across heirs. With a maturity term of 150 years, the plan supports long-term inter-generational planning.
Additional benefits include guaranteed loyalty and continuity bonuses to enhance account value, as well as the Legacy Plus feature for staged payouts of death benefits.
Albrecht said the product expansion underscores Sun Life’s ambition to consolidate its role as a leading insurer for Asia’s wealthy elite. “At Sun Life, we’re not just responding to change – we’re driving it, ensuring our clients have the tools they need to secure their financial futures with confidence,” he said.
State Street
and Daiwa Institute of Research (DIR) are partnering to provide fund accounting solutions for investment trust management companies.
US-listed State Street will implement FAIMS, the investment trust accounting system owned by DIR, for fund accounting solutions in Japan to support global clients. Daiwa has offered fund accounting services in Japan for more than 15 years.
“Japan is an important market for State Street, and fund accounting is a core component of our investment servicing business,” Akiko Terada, representative director and president at State Street Trust and Banking Co, said. “We are delighted to integrate DIR’s innovative technology with our extensive global resources to further enhance our investment accounting and fund administration solutions to global asset management companies. This collaboration will help them effectively manage complex requirements across various client segments, domiciles, asset types and investment strategies.”
State Street provides accounting services to more than 52,000 portfolios globally. In addition, 41 per cent of the US mutual fund daily net asset values are calculated by State Street.