Singapore’s strategic location in Asia is proving a boon to the city state’s transaction bankers, particularly as they seek to capture banking business from the world’s changing trade flows.

The banking industry in Asia is dynamic, with a number of mergers and acquisitions shifting the competitive landscape for the region’s players. As global financial institutions are rethinking their strategies, and China’s behemoth banks are preoccupied with a massive domestic market, Asian regional banks are being presented with a window of opportunity.

The Asian city state of Singapore attracted more foreign investment in its financial sector than any other IFC in the world over the past year. Geneva, Edinburgh and Glasgow were notable risers in the ranking, while troubled Madrid lost significant ground.

Indonesia’s finance minister Agus Martowardojo was The Banker’s Finance Minister of the Year 2012, global and Asia-Pacific. He explains the economic polices behind the country's impressive growth.

Malaysia is going through a period of transformation as the government seeks to push the country to developed nation status. The ambitious economic goals, however, are being tested by events further afield and observers are questioning to what degree Malaysia’s growth will be impacted by the troubles of the eurozone. 

There is a feeling in some circles that as the East rises, the West must simultaneously decline. But why? Rising prosperity in Asia means more opportunities for businesses and banks in North America and Europe, and the only ones to suffer will be those who continue to think along 'East versus West' lines.

The increasing might of China over the past decade has not been reflected in its currency. In 2010, China's share of world trade was 11.4%, while the renminbi's share in world payments was a mere 0.24%. The currency's route to internationalisation look set to be more marathon than sprint.

When China's biggest bank, ICBC, launched its first dollar bond issue, it offered investors a rare opportunity of direct exposure to the mainland banking system. There was no shortage of interest. Along with UBS and ICBC's own investment arm, Barclays Capital landed the role of global co-ordinator, helping BarCap cement its Asian standing.

The Chinese banking sector may have emerged relatively unscathed from the financial crisis, but regulatory reform is still high on its agenda, meaning that the China Banking Regulatory Commission has been keen to stay one step ahead of the game by introducing a new set of regulatory standards in the first half of 2011, which placed a strict emphasis on liquidity.