Asia Focus
These reports from the Asia Program provide context and insight into current economic and financial sector developments in the Asia-Pacific region.
Learn more about the Asia Program
2018

How Digital Innovation Can Increase Small Business Access to Finance in Asia
Sean Creehan
March 26, 2018
This Asia Focus summarizes the small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) credit gap in Asia and assesses ways certain emerging technologies and innovative business models—commonly known as “fintech”—can improve SME access to financial services in Asia and boost long-term economic growth in the process.
2017

Capital Flows, Bond Markets, and Financial Stability in Asia
Nicholas Borst
November 30, 2017
This Asia Focus analyzes the development of local currency bond markets in Asia following the Asian financial crisis and the region’s efforts to reduce its reliance on foreign capital flows.
Asia’s Fintech Revolution
Sean Creehan and Nicholas Borst
February 27, 2017
This Asia Focus examines the impact of fintech on payments and lending in Asia, focusing on the new technologies entering the market, the level of disruption faced by banks, and the regulatory response to these new developments.
2016

The Changing Face of Shadow Banking in China
Cindy Li
December 27, 2016
This Asia Focus explores the drivers behind shadow banking system’s growth in China, reviews the changing pattern of shadow banking activities, analyzes associated risks in the context of China’s growing capital markets, and discusses future regulatory challenges.
Taiwan’s Banking Sector Reforms: Retrospective and Outlook
Nicholas Borst and Cindy Li
May 20, 2016
This Asia Focus outlines the history of financial and banking reforms in Taiwan, analyzes problems that developed in the banking sector after liberalization, and evaluates current initiatives by regulators to address those problems.
Modernizing the Payment System to Increase Financial Inclusion in India
Sean Creehan
March 31, 2016
This Asia Focus reviews the role non-cash payments can play in India’s financial inclusion efforts, summarizes recent government policies to develop a national payment system that includes the unbanked, and assesses the challenges and implications of ongoing reforms.
Islamic Finance in Asia: Recent Developments and Regulatory Issues
Cindy Li
January 5, 2016
This Asia Focus examines the size and growth of Islamic finance, reviews recent reports and studies on the industry, discusses key benefits and regulatory challenges, and summarizes recent developments in Asia.
2015

Balancing the State and the Market: Banking Reform in China and Vietnam
Nicholas Borst
September 3, 2015
This Asia Focus examines similarities in the process of banking reform in China and Vietnam, analyzes how both countries have dealt with financial crises, and draws lessons from their shared experiences that may be useful for other countries undertaking financial reforms.
Burma – Paving the Road to a Modern Banking System
Linda True
June 24, 2015
This Asia Focus report provides a historical background of Burmese banking crises, analyzes recent and upcoming regulatory reforms, and evaluates hurdles to the development of a modern banking system.
The Rise of Asian Sovereign Wealth Funds
Nicholas Borst
March 5, 2015
This Asia Focus provides an overview of sovereign wealth funds, evaluates the structure and activities of major funds in Asia, and compares the transparency of Asian funds relative to international best practices.
Non-Banks and Retail Payments: Innovations in China and the United States
Nicholas Borst
January 8, 2015
This Asia Focus examines the role that non-banks play in retail payment systems, compares the structure of the retail payments industry in United States and China, and discusses potential risks to the financial system.
2014

Priority Sector Lending in Asia
Sean Creehan
September 15, 2014
This Asia Focus discusses Asia’s experience with priority sector lending, reviews the current state-level priority sector lending policies in several Asian economies, assesses the implications for the respective domestic banking systems, and examines potential alternative mechanisms to encourage lending to priority sectors.
China’s Interest Rate Liberalization Reform
Cindy Li
May 12, 2014
This Asia Focus report explains the importance of interest rate liberalization in China, reviews historical progress and current efforts made to date, and discusses the potential impact on the banking sector.
2013

Mobile Payments in Asia
Samia Y. Husain
November 18, 2013
This Asia Focus report explores the use of m-payments in Asia and evaluates the challenges it faces regarding wider adoption. Specifically, this report clarifies what an m-payment is, identifies which factors are facilitating and hindering the use of m-payments by consumers in certain economies of Asia, and summarizes key issues this new payment technology presents to government regulators.
Shadow Banking in China: Expanding Scale, Evolving Structure
Cindy Li
April 30, 2013
This Asia Focus provides an overview of shadow banking activities in China, their close ties with banks, reasons behind their rapid rise, the range of participants and products, and regulatory issues.
2012

Implementation of Anti-Money Laundering Standards in Asia
Susan Desai
November 19, 2012
Global money laundering and terrorist financing activities impose significant costs on the world economy by damaging the effective operations of national economies. This Asia Focus report reviews some of the unique factors that contribute to money laundering in Asia, describes international AML/CFT standards, analyzes the region’s progress towards fuller compliance with FATF recommendations, and outlines challenges that remain.
Challenges in Global Finance: The Role of Asia
Linda True
September 1, 2012
On June 11-12, 2012, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (FRBSF) held its fifth Conference on Asian Banking and Finance in San Francisco, entitled “Challenges in Global Finance: The Role of Asia.” Conference participants discussed how the ongoing economic and financial uncertainties in Europe will impact the Asian economies, banking sectors and trade flows; and how Asian banks and financial institutions themselves are addressing these issues.
Banking in the Clouds
Samia Y. Husain
July 1, 2012
Banks in Asia are looking into the opportunities, and risks, that cloud computing can bring to their industry as they expand domestically and regionally.
Accounting Regulatory Architecture in Asia
Walter Yao and Linda True
April 1, 2012
Accounting regulatory regimes play a critical role in ensuring the reliability of financial data and the credibility of a company, and ultimately in supporting the stability of an economy. Prompted in part by the U.S. actions taken pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, many Asian economies have established similar regulatory bodies and standards for their domestic accounting industry.
2011

Risk Management in a Global Environment
Chris Sigur
December 30, 2011
Credit Bureaus in Asia
James Kwan
October 31, 2011
Banking Reform in Vietnam
Anne Ho and Ashle Baxter
June 9, 2011
Prudential Liquidity Standards in Asia
Ashle Baxter
March 31, 2011
2010

Mobile Banking in Asia
Anne Ho
November 22, 2010
Global Recovery: Asia and the New Financial Landscape
Chris Sigur
September 27, 2010
Financial System Reform in Thailand
Ashle Baxter
July 30, 2010
Rural Banking in China
Cindy Marks
May 6, 2010
Regulatory Frameworks for Financial Services in Asia
Nicolas Stefano
March 31, 2010
Microfinance in the Philippines
Nkechi Carroll
January 29, 2010
2009

Asian Banking in Challenging Financial Times
Chris Sigur
September 24, 2009
Japan’s Cross-Shareholding Legacy: the Financial Impact on Banks
Ashle Baxter
August 31, 2009
Islamic Finance: Malaysia’s Growing Role
Sarah Gearen
July 31, 2009
A Comparison of Loan Loss Allowance Practices in Asia
Grace Li and Walter Yao
June 29, 2009
Basel II Implementation in Asia
Walter Yao
April 27, 2009
Recent Japanese and Chinese Investments in U.S. and European Financial Institutions
Cindy Marks
March 31, 2009
Hong Kong’s Role in the Movement Toward a More Integrated Greater Chinese Marketplace
Nicolas Stefano
January 26, 2009
2008

Recent Developments in Asian Deposit Guarantee Programs
Cindy Marks and Walter Yao
October 31, 2008
Report on FRBSF Conference “The Changing Landscape: Asia’s Role in Global Finance”
Chris Sigur
September 30, 2008
Postal Savings Reform in Northeast Asia, Part One: Japan and South Korea
Arlene Mayeda
July 31, 2008
Postal Savings Reform in Northeast Asia, Part Two: China
Cindy Marks
July 31, 2008
The Development of Payment and Settlement Systems in China
Cindy Marks
April 30, 2008
Implementing International Financial Reporting Standards in Asia: Bringing Greater Transparency and Comparability to Asian Banks’ Financial Statements
Walter Yao
March 31, 2008
Vietnam’s Banking Sector
Arlene Mayeda
February 29, 2008
Record High Remittances to the Philippines Lead to Increased Competition among Philippine Banks
Nkechi Carroll
January 31, 2008
2007

Anti-Money Laundering Reforms and Trends in Asia
Birgit Baxendale
July 31, 2007
China’s New Foreign Bank Regulations
Xiuying Jin and Richard Lung
May 31, 2007
China’s Banking Sector
Nkechi Carroll
March 30, 2007
Japan’s New Consumer Finance Law
Birgit Baxendale
February 28, 2007
2006

Japanese Banks and Rising Bond Yields
Birgit Baxendale and Daniel Fineman
April 28, 2006
Indian Banks Tap Markets
Daniel Fineman
March 31, 2006
Korea’s Maturing Credit Bureaus
Daniel Fineman
January 31, 2006
2005

Japanese City Banks: Unwarranted Housing Loan Expectations
Birgit Baxendale
September 30, 2005
Foreign Banks’ New China Strategy
Richard Lung and Daniel Fineman
July 29, 2005
China: An Evolving Housing Market
Richard Lung
June 30, 2005
Indian Banking Reforms: A Changing Landscape for State-Owned and Foreign Banks
Susan Chan
May 31, 2005
Deposit Insurance Programs in Asia
Birgit Baxendale
March 31, 2005