The “2025 Shanghai Global Asset Management Forum” opened on the 16th at Shanghai Tower. This high-level, international forum serves as the opening event for the “Global Asset Management Center · Shanghai International Activity Week.”
This year’s forum, themed “Harnessing Change for Innovation, Building Resilience through Upgrading, and Rebalancing through Opening Up,” brought together leaders and experts from the financial industry worldwide. They discussed opportunities and pathways for Shanghai’s development as a global asset management hub, as well as transformations and developments in China’s and the global asset management industry. Participants noted that Shanghai has made significant progress in advancing its international financial center and global asset management center, actively supporting real economic development and contributing to building a strong financial system.
In the opening address, it was stated that Shanghai will work with all sectors to continuously advance the construction of Shanghai as a global asset management center under the guidance of national financial regulatory authorities. Looking ahead, Shanghai will attract global investors through higher levels of opening up, steadily expand institutional openness in rules, regulations, management, and standards, and create a first-class market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment to attract more domestic and international institutions to establish and expand operations in Shanghai. It will stimulate market vitality through higher-quality reforms and innovation, encouraging asset management institutions to innovate products and services in line with real economic needs and technological trends to better meet investors’ diverse asset allocation demands. It will optimize the industry ecosystem through enhanced collaboration, strengthening communication with financial regulators and industry associations, and striving to build platforms for cooperation and exchange among various financial institutions to foster a more relaxed and dynamic industry development environment.
In a keynote speech focusing on asset management trends and practical experiences, it was pointed out that as the global economic and financial landscape continues to evolve profoundly and domestic financial two-way opening intensifies, the asset management industry is facing broader development opportunities. On one hand, the healthy development of capital markets requires strong support from the asset management industry, and meeting new wealth management demands relies on innovation in asset management products. On the other hand, high-level opening up and the construction of Shanghai as a global asset management center bring new opportunities and momentum for asset management business development. Asset management institutions should adhere to reform and innovation, focus on building a cooperative and win-win ecosystem for the industry, leverage fintech to empower innovation, accelerate globalization, firmly maintain risk compliance bottom lines, and undertake the new mission and task of transitioning from “growing bigger” to “growing stronger,” speeding up the construction of a multi-level, multi-pillar open asset management system and continuously enhancing international competitiveness.
In a keynote speech titled “China’s Asset Management Industry Enters a New Stage,” it was mentioned that China’s social financing structure has shifted in favor of direct financing, interest rates have been declining for some time, and there is a need to develop capital markets, transform intermediaries like banks, grow the asset management market, and actively promote mergers and acquisitions to address challenges.
During a thematic speech, it was emphasized that the forum, refined over five years, showcases more professional and international characteristics, witnessing the leapfrog development of Shanghai’s asset management industry and the transformation of global financial institutions from establishing a presence in Shanghai to deepening their roots. It was expressed with confidence that the forum will continue to improve, strengthening its platform functions, innovating professional scenarios, deepening win-win cooperation, and empowering the high-quality development of Shanghai’s international financial center.
Since its inaugural edition in 2021, the Shanghai Global Asset Management Forum has released a series of key outcomes each year. This year’s release session featured more diverse projects, richer information, and broader coverage. The “2025 Shanghai Global Asset Management Center Construction Report” (referred to as the “Report”) and the “Overseas Asset Management Institutions Investment Guide to Shanghai (2025 Edition)” (referred to as the “Guide”) were released on site.
The “Report” focuses on the latest developments in Shanghai’s asset management industry under the AI wave from three dimensions: industry development from an international perspective, AI+ asset management technology empowerment, and association functions and industry ecosystem. The “Guide,” updated for the fifth year following regulatory policies and innovative measures, highlights in its 2025 edition the achievements in deepening the opening up of China’s financial markets, enhancing Shanghai’s international financial center status, and the accelerated development of Shanghai’s and China’s fund industry through data, garnering widespread attention and positive feedback domestically and internationally.
