Consisting of both Islamic and conventional insurers, the Sultanate’s insurance sector has held steady in recent times, despite strong external pressures on Brunei Darussalam’s economy. Non-life remains a dynamic segment, with Islamic takaful products making up the bulk of these general insurance premiums. This pattern looks set to continue in the year ahead, too, with the next 12 months also...
Asia Financial Services
Commanding the second-highest GDP per capita of all ASEAN nations, at $40,979 in 2014, Brunei Darussalam remains one of the most advanced economies in the South-east Asian region. This is in large part due to the Sultanate’s well-developed energy sector; however, with oil and gas prices falling substantially from mid-2014, new efforts are being made to increase the efficiency of production and diversify the economy to ensure future stability and sustainability.
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Despite global financial headwinds and significant declines in the value of cryptocurrencies this year, emerging markets are adopting the technology at a rapid pace.
Economic update | Can the “buy now, pay later” model unlock e-commerce potential in emerging markets?
22 Sep 2022
Building on the e-commerce momentum from the Covid-19 pandemic, the “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) model is one of the fastest-growing segments in consumer finance, particularly in emerging markets.
Amid record levels of cryptocurrency crime, a number of emerging markets are looking at ways to strengthen their cryptocurrency-related protections.
Economic update | Sustainability-linked bonds: a financing solution for emerging markets?
17 Mar 2022
Emerging markets are harnessing environmental, social and governance metrics to raise debt and fund their energy transitions, with Chile recently becoming the first country to issue bonds tied specifically to sustainability goals.
Economic update | After a landmark 2021, what does this year hold for ESG-focused sukuk?
17 Feb 2022
Earlier this month Saudi Arabia’s Riyad Bank closed a $750m “sustainability” sukuk (Islamic bond), the latest in a wave of high-profile issuance across different regions. ESG-related sukuk are set to see rapid growth in 2022, even as the broader sukuk market softens.
A number of remittance-focused financial technology (fintech) start-ups are gaining traction in emerging markets. In doing so, they are making inroads on market share that was formerly the preserve of established financial service providers.