Singapore HNWs says current investment returns have “room to grow”

Almost 1 in 2 are frustrated from their portfolios’ “generally underwhelming” performance.

Over 2 in 5 (42%) of high net worth (HNW) investors in Singapore are actively seeking better returns and intend to allocate more funds to private market strategies and hedge funds.

The study, conducted by wealth platform Endowus and YouGov Singapore, surveyed 266 individuals in Singapore between February to March 2024 who have an annual income of at least S$300,000 and above and personal investable assets of at least S$1m as well as financial assets of S$1m and above.

Singaporeans surveyed expressed frustration with “generally underwhelming performance.” About 48% of respondents said that their returns have room to grow, much higher than Hong Kong investors, expressed a similar sentiment.

Singaporean investors are not as worried about retirement and succession planning as their Hong Kong peers– only 1 in 5 (21%) of HNW investors in Singapore expressed worries about retirement, compared to Hong Kong’s 32%. 

About 1 in 4 HNW (25%) investors in the Lion City indicated an appetite for greater risk to maximise returns.

Over 2 in 5 (45%) of investors, meanwhile, said that they are willing to take on some risk to grow their capital meaningfully.

Just 1 in 4 (27%) of Singapore’s HNW investors proactively think about succession planning, versus the 35% of respondents from Hong Kong.

Outside of high-net-worth investors, Singapore's mass affluent segment is also primed for growth. Recently, Maybank Singapore launched an online investment service that can be avail of for a fee of as low as S$200.