Amid major global political and economic shifts, China International Capital Corp (CICC) is ramping up its international expansion, focusing strategically on Southeast Asia and the Middle East as growth markets.
Chairman Chen Liang said the Chinese investment bank was capitalizing on two powerful growth engines — the rapid rise of Asia’s wealth-management industry and the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) — both expected to fuel future business opportunities. He explained that as Chinese companies increasingly look abroad, CICC aims to leverage its global network to support their international ambitions while attracting more cross-border capital flows.
Chen emphasized that the world is witnessing accelerating structural change and said CICC, having played a leading role in China’s capital market development for over 30 years, remains committed to staying at the forefront of this evolution. Wealth management, he added, is one of the bank’s most promising growth areas.
He noted that Asia’s expanding population of high-net-worth individuals is driving stronger demand for family offices, cross-border tax advisory, and intergenerational wealth transfer services. CICC is advancing what Chen described as a “Hong Kong + Singapore” dual-core wealth strategy that enhances synergy and resource sharing between the two hubs. The bank has already established a global family-office team in Hong Kong to provide comprehensive wealth solutions to entrepreneurs and ultra-high-net-worth clients, while its Singapore office is preparing to broaden its offerings into derivative trading and virtual assets for clients across Southeast Asia.
CICC is also expanding its wealth-management operations in the Greater Bay Area via the cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect 2.0 initiative, which facilitates cross-border asset allocation. Julius Baer’s 2025 Family Barometer report noted that Hong Kong and Singapore have become key hubs for affluent families expanding in Asia, particularly those favoring real estate and private direct investments.
Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Beijing, CICC listed in Hong Kong a decade ago and now operates over 200 branches in China, as well as offices in major financial centers including Singapore, New York, London, Frankfurt, Tokyo and San Francisco. The firm provides a full suite of financial services, from investment banking and equities to asset management, private equity, and research.
To strengthen its international push, Chen said CICC is integrating AI across its wealth-management value chain. The bank is developing intelligent strategy-generation and automated advisory systems to improve cross-border services. It also plans to apply AI more deeply in asset allocation, risk management, and client engagement to deliver personalized solutions at scale.
Geographically, CICC is deepening its presence in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, having opened new offices in Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates to support regional energy transition, infrastructure financing, and cross-border investment opportunities. Its new branch in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), launched in May, marks its entry into the Middle East’s leading financial hub — home to China’s five largest state-owned banks, which together manage US$65.3 billion in assets there, up 33% since 2021.
CICC’s profit surged 130% year-on-year to 6.57 billion yuan (US$907 million) in the first three quarters of 2025, driven by stronger performance in brokerage, investment banking, and asset management.
Looking ahead, Chen said private equity will remain central to CICC’s investment approach through a “fund of funds + direct investment” model, positioning the firm to capture new opportunities amid Asia’s evolving financial landscape. He explained that CICC will continue investing in innovation-led and green low-carbon sectors to nurture new productive forces and build a hub for technology-driven growth. Over 70% of CICC’s direct investments already focus on areas such as AI, renewable energy, commercial aerospace, new materials, and quantum computing.
Chen added that the bank intends to collaborate with global financial institutions and industrial partners to deepen investments along the value chain of advanced technology and sustainable industries, reinforcing its role in Asia’s transition toward a low-carbon economy.
Source: Bangkok Post
