Singapore and China enhance digital finance and capital markets co-operation

By Gloria Mathias

Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has announced new digital finance and capital markets initiatives to expand its financial cooperation with China.

Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on digital finance cooperation in 2020 between MAS and the Digital Currency Institute, People’s Bank of China (PBCDCI), MAS and PBCDCI are embarking on a pilot that will allow travellers from both countries to use e-CNY for tourism spending in Singapore and China. This will enhance convenience for travellers when making purchases during their overseas travel.

Building on the successful launch of the Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) Product Link between the Singapore Exchange (SGX) and Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) at the 18th JCBC in 2022, SGX and Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) signed an MOU in May 2023 to establish an ETF Product Link.

On 1 December 2023, CSOP Huatai-Pinebridge SSE Dividend Index ETF and the CSOP iEdge Southeast Asia+ TECH Index ETF were launched on SGX and SSE respectively as the first product pairing under the new ETF Product Link. This successful launch opens greater collaboration opportunities between fund managers in both markets and improves investors’ access to ETF products in each other’s markets.

Singapore’s local banks and China’s UnionPay International have also embarked on early-stage feasibility discussions on a potential remittance linkage between Singapore’s PayNow and UnionPay pursuant to each jurisdiction’s laws and regulations. Such a linkage could facilitate secure, convenient, and cost-effective cross-border payments and remittances between the two countries.

Under the GFTF, MAS and the People’s Bank of China are working on key initiatives, including a green corridor for green and transition financing products, as well as capacity building.

Leong Sing Chiong, Deputy Managing Director (Markets and Development), MAS, said, “It has been a fruitful year of financial cooperation between Singapore and China. MAS welcomes the new initiatives in digital finance and capital markets connectivity, as these will catalyse new financial flows between our financial centres and deepen trade and economic relations between our economies.”