DBS survey finds risk-readiness gaps in family offices’ wealth-transfer efforts

[SINGAPORE] Wealthy families in the Asia-Pacific are expected to transfer as much as US$5.8 trillion in wealth to their heirs, but a new report by DBS Private Bank found a significant “risk-readiness gap” that could stall their ambitions.

The report, DBS Asian Family Office Almanac 2026: Assessing the Risk-readiness Gap, found that founders’ desire to remain in control is a key hurdle to wealth-transfer planning.

Only 4 per cent of those surveyed – founders and their benefactors – expect meaningful wealth transfer over the next three years. Around 33 per cent cited founders’ reluctance to relinquish control as the reason for the delay.