CTBC Bank is quietly making inroads in its quest to be a regional banking powerhouse, through strategic acquisitions and big international expansion plans.

Hong Kong’s tough line on Spacs is intended to protect investors and stop low-calibre companies from getting a listing via the backdoor. With just two Spac IPOs so far in the city, the asset class has struggled to attract the kind of enthusiasm seen in other markets such as the US.

The Hong Kong dollar’s peg to the US dollar – and the question of its survival – is once again a hot topic. But this time, the stakes are higher than ever before.

The combination of China’s crackdown on technology companies, its zero-Covid strategy and its domestic property crisis have buffeted Chinese stocks this year. In order for sentiment to stabilize and for the economy to develop, reforms are needed urgently, putting more emphasis on the private sector and less on GDP growth.

Within two years, virtual bank WeLab has quickly found its place in Hong Kong. But its chief executive says this is just the beginning of an ambitious plan to expand its foothold in Asia.

The outlook for the Chinese real estate sector is bleak, with many more highly indebted companies expected to default on their bonds and loans. If the market is to recover, however, the government will need to ease more restrictions so that firms can access funding again and demand for homes picks up.

With its razor-sharp focus on SMEs, technology firms and ESG, Busan Bank has come a long way in the last 50 years, and is moving in the right direction.

Sprawling conglomerates dominate South Korea’s economy, making it hard to retool a creaking economic model. With a presidential election looming and financial technology firms growing, the market is ripe for disruption.

MUFG Bank is investing in its Greater China business, but will its strategy pay off?