UOB has reported significant growth in its cross-border business activities across ASEAN and Greater China, reflecting ongoing changes in global supply chains. The announcement was made during the Gateway to ASEAN Conference held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, where over 1,000 business leaders gathered both in-person and online to discuss strategies for adapting to shifting global dynamics.
The conference, now in its fourth year, focused on the theme “Reshaping Global Supply Chain Pathways.” Speakers highlighted how trade tensions and broad-based tariffs have accelerated the movement of sourcing, production, and sales activities into the ASEAN region. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), foreign direct investment into ASEAN reached US$225 billion in 2024, with UOB projecting this figure to rise to US$370 billion by 2030.
UOB has observed increased demand for trade and Financial Supply Chain Management (FSCM) financing, as well as digital payments and collections solutions. Its digital platform, UOB Infinity, saw FSCM anchors grow by 21 percent and spokes by 18 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2025. More than two-thirds of these companies are based in ASEAN. Digital payments accounted for 90 percent of total transaction volumes during the same period.
The bank has also developed solutions to improve supply chain connectivity and working capital efficiency, including a dedicated FSCM program management team and streamlined credit onboarding processes. These efforts enable UOB to onboard suppliers at scale, extending financing deeper into corporate ecosystems.
During the conference, Mr Wee Ee Cheong, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of UOB, welcomed delegates with an opening address. Mr Frederick Chin, Head of Group Wholesale Banking and Global Markets at UOB, led a discussion on supply chain shifts in ASEAN. Other speakers included Mr Amit Mohta of Unilever International, Mr Donghyun Kim of Lotte Shopping Holdings, and Mr Choy Dawen of Changi Airport Group.
UOB also released its Gateway to ASEAN Paper, a strategic study on how businesses are navigating supply chain shifts and investment priorities in the region. Key findings from the paper include:
- 75 percent of global executives plan to reconfigure their supply chains within three to five years.
- 52 percent of businesses are considering nearshoring within three years.
- 45 percent of companies looking at ASEAN investments intend to build local supply chains.
- Singapore is expected to attract the largest investments in Asia-Pacific.
- China remains a top investment destination for 15 percent of businesses over the next three years.
- 70 percent of businesses want banks to help manage tariff exposure, foreign exchange volatility, and trade finance.
Mr Frederick Chin stated, “Global supply chains are being reshaped rapidly, driven by trade realignments, and ASEAN is benefitting from strong trade and capital flows. As these shifts accelerate, businesses need trusted strategic partners who can provide connectivity and insight across borders. We are confident in our track record of being the right partner as our clients seize the region’s growth potential.”