MAS earmarks S$1.45 billion for five global asset managers and launches market-making grant
The Monetary Authority of Singapore will allocate S$1.45 billion to five asset managers in its latest EQDP round and introduce a S$20 million market-making grant for small- and mid-cap stocks.
During a speech at SuperReturn Asia, Chee Hong Tat disclosed that the Monetary Authority of Singapore will channel S$1.45 billion to five new participants—Amundi, Franklin Templeton, HSBC Asset Management, M&G Investments and Natixis Investment Managers—under the third batch of the Equity Market Development Programme, raising total allocations to S$5.4 billion. In parallel, MAS will commit S$20 million from the Financial Sector Development Fund to a market-making grant under the Grant for Equity Market Singapore (Gems) scheme, supporting liquidity for roughly 80 small- and mid-cap stocks and new listings through December 2028.
The initiative follows the Equities Market Review Group’s final report and seeks to tighten bid-ask spreads, lower execution costs, and enhance price discovery. MAS also announced a new Investment Management Track within the ONE Pass, allowing qualified professionals to meet a S$30,000 salary threshold through a mix of fixed and variable pay, to attract senior talent. These steps are intended to deepen both institutional and retail participation in Singapore’s equities market and reinforce the city-state’s position as a regional capital hub.
Why it matters
The funding and grant aim to boost liquidity and attract foreign capital, strengthening Singapore’s role as a regional equity hub.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTBoth camps report the same allocation and grant details, but the right-leaning coverage frames the spending as a move to "spur" the equity market and attract capital, while the centrist coverage simply states the facts of the allocation.
CENTER
Centrist coverage presents the MAS allocation and grant as a straightforward announcement of funding and its intended market-development goals.
RIGHT
Right-leaning coverage frames the funding as a strategic push to boost Singapore’s equity market and draw foreign capital.
The right emphasises
- The S$1.45 billion package is intended to boost the country's equities market.
- It is described as a way to reinforce the local asset-management sector and attract more capital to Singapore stocks.
- The grant complements previous measures such as a 20 percent tax rebate for primary listings and dual-listing options.
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