Wealth managers in Asia-Pacific are rebalancing their exposure from US equities and towards developed ( 48% ) and emerging markets ( 33% ), while over half of expect allocations in private assets ( 55% ) and digital assets ( 57% ) to increase over the next three years, according to a recent survey.

When it comes to artificial intelligence ( AI ) adoption, Asia-Pacific respondents appear to have the highest perception of their adoption rate compared to peers globally – 38% find the wealth management industry in the region leading the broader financial services industry, compared with 26% and 22% in North America and EMEA ( Europe, Middle East and Africa ), respectively, finds MSCI’s Wealth Trends 2026: How Advisers Are Repositioning for a Volatile World, a global survey of 250 wealth industry professionals, including 60 respondents from Asia-Pacific.

The survey identifies five forces that are driving change within the sector globally:

1. Increased demand for customization and personalization of portfolios

• 98% of new high-net-worth ( HNW ) portfolios now include some degree of customization – a significant jump from 2025’s study, when 60% of advisers said they expected clients to demand some form of personalisation.
• 53% of participants cited end-investor desire for thematic exposures as a top driver of personalization.
• 62% of respondents expect direct indexing usage to increase over the next three years, while 59% view it as essential for serving HNW clients.

2. Intensifying concerns about geopolitical volatility

• The vast majority of respondents ( 86% ) reported heightened concerns about new tariffs and global uncertainty from a year ago.

3. Renewed end-investor interest in markets outside of US

• 61% plan to increase allocations to developed, non-US markets, while only one-third expect to increase US equity exposure.
• 48% expect to increase emerging market exposure as advisers broaden regional diversification beyond the US.

4. Rise of private markets

• 83% of the study participants agreed that offering a robust suite of private market solutions is becoming essential to their work with clients, reflecting a stronger alignment between demand and capability.
• As portfolios become more complex, advisers are increasingly pairing exchange-traded funds ( ETFs ) with private assets allocations to maintain liquidity and tactical flexibility. This year, 73% of survey respondents said they believe that ETFs will become more common in client portfolios.

5. Accelerated adoption of AI

• 68% view artificial intelligence ( AI ) as critical for competitiveness compared with last year when advisors cited manual processes and insufficient technology platforms as major obstacles.
• 44% say they are lagging the broader financial services industry, highlighting a widening perception gap relative to last year’s more generalized frustration with outdated systems.
• 95% expect to increase AI investment.

“Amid heightened global uncertainty, Asia-Pacific wealth managers are redefining their views of risk and recalibrating portfolios for resilience,” says Hassan Suffyan, MSCI’s head of wealth for EMEA and Asia-Pacific. “At the same time, some in the region see themselves at the forefront of AI adoption, recognizing its potential as both an enabler and a differentiator that can enhance investment process, in addition to just client engagement.”

Alex Kokolis, the company’s global head of wealth, adds: “Personalization has moved from a differentiator to a baseline expectation in wealth management. Nearly every new HNW portfolio now reflects some level of customization, as clients seek investments aligned with their goals, values and evolving views on risk. The challenge for advisers is no longer whether to personalize, but how to do so at scale while maintaining efficiency, consistency and transparency.”