Thu, Jan 15, 2026 page9

• Taiwan Total Personal Wealth to grow annual 6% through 2029

  • By Crystal Hsu / Staff reporter
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  Taiwan’s swelling ranks of wealthy people are reshaping how capital is deployed, with overseas investments shifting from optional diversification tools to a core pillar of long-term wealth strategy, a study released yesterday by CTBC Commercial Bank Co (中信銀行) showed.

  Total personal wealth in Taiwan is projected to grow at an average annual rate of about 6 percent from last year through 2029, reaching about NT$279 trillion (US$8.82 trillion), CTBC Bank senior vice president John Yang (楊子宏) told a news conference in Taipei.

  The expansion reflects Taiwan’s deepening role in the global technology supply chain, which has bolstered corporate earnings, equity valuations and private wealth, Yang said.

  

  From left, CTBC Commercial Bank Co senior vice president John Yang, wealth management head Suei Jung-hsin, retail banking head Amy Yang, president Tony Yang, Boston Consulting Group managing director David Chan and partner Sharon Weng pose for a photograph in Taipei yesterday.

  Photo: CNA

  “Succession sits atop the list of concerns among high-net-worth individuals, both young and old,” Yang said.

  Assets held by high-net-worth individuals — defined as those with at least NT$100 million — are expected to increase even faster, rising at a pace of about 10 percent per year to NT$59 trillion by 2029, said the study, which is conducted every two years.

  The divergence signals a rapid concentration of wealth among the richest households, said Sharon Weng (翁詩涵), a partner at Boston Consulting Group, which conducted the study.

  The number of high-net-worth individuals is forecast to climb from an estimated 123,000 last year to 155,000 by 2029, the study showed.

  Within that group, ultra-high-net-worth individuals — those with more than NT$1 billion in personal assets — are set to increase to 11,000 from 8,000, far outpacing growth in the broader market, it showed.

  As fortunes scale up, offshore investment has evolved from a risk-hedging tool into a structural foundation supporting family assets, operating businesses and intergenerational succession, the study showed.

  About 74 percent of high-net-worth individuals hold overseas assets, while an additional 14 percent plan to invest abroad, it showed.

  Among ultra-high-net-worth families, the proportion rises to 86 percent, underscoring cross-border deployment as a central feature of wealth planning, Weng said.

  Geographically, wealthy people in Taiwan are becoming more selective, she said.

  Singapore and Japan have emerged as favored destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, while exposure to US assets continues to rise, she said.

  Holdings in Hong Kong and Macau have stabilized after earlier pullbacks, as investors adopt a wait-and-see stance, while allocations to mainland China remain broadly cautious, Weng said.

  The shift reflects a growing emphasis on resilience and risk control as families navigate geopolitical tensions, regulatory uncertainty and market volatility, she said.

  The survey also points to a generational divide, she said.

  First-generation wealth creators, typically aged 55 to 74, prioritize capital preservation, liquidity and structural stability, favoring lower-volatility instruments, she said.

  Second and third-generation family members, primarily aged 35 to 54, are demonstrating a stronger appetite for growth-oriented and globally diversified assets, including cryptocurrency, while also showing greater involvement in education, family values and governance, she added.
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