Single family offices in Asia-Pacific to reach 3,200 by 2030, India a bright spot

New Delhi, April 21: In the Asia Pacific region, single-family offices have grown to 2,290 (surged by 28 per cent since 2019) and the region is expected to outpace North America moving forward, growing 40 per cent to reach 3,200 offices by 2030, a report showed on Monday, adding that India is undergoing a similar evolution.

A growing number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals and startup founders in the country are turning to institutional family office structures to manage wealth and succession planning, according to a white paper by Lighthouse Canton, a global investment institution.

According to a recent industry report, the number of family offices in the country has grown nearly seven-fold over the past six years, rising from 45 in 2018 to close to 300 in 2024.

The nation's booming startup ecosystem and generational wealth transfer are fuelling this growth, with many Indian families increasingly seeking institutional-grade investment strategies and governance solutions, said the report.

"India's family office ecosystem is standing at a defining threshold. As families evolve in their investment outlook and prepare for generational transitions, the demand for institutional frameworks has become essential," said Sumegh Bhatia, MD and CEO, of Lighthouse Canton in India.

This isn't just about managing assets, but it's about building long-term structures aligned with purpose, governance, and stewardship.

"We believe family offices in India will increasingly shape the country's capital markets, entrepreneurial ecosystem, and philanthropic landscape," said Bhatia.

This also underscores the growing importance of AI and digital innovation as critical tools for multi-family offices to remain competitive. As new family office patrons continue to emerge in Asia, digital transformation is expected to become indispensable by 2028.

The whitepaper explored key elements of an institutional approach for families including how these family office models can benefit families in creating structured and scalable investment and specialist services, attracting and retaining best-in-class talent and using technology effectively and efficiently to enhance and consolidate reporting for multi-asset portfolios, manage risk, and increase transparency for families.

It also explored about navigating evolving risk and regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions and global asset allocations.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.

This is fascinating! India's economic growth is creating new wealth management needs. The 7x increase in family offices since 2018 shows how quickly things are changing. Excited to see how this impacts our startup ecosystem 🚀

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Priya M.

While the growth is impressive, I wonder if there's enough regulation in place to prevent misuse of these family office structures. The article mentions risk management but doesn't go deep enough into safeguards.

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Arjun S.

As someone working in wealth management, I can confirm the demand has exploded! Families want more than just investment advice - they're looking for full-service solutions including succession planning and philanthropy strategies.

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Sneha P.

The digital transformation aspect is key! My uncle's family office just implemented AI tools for portfolio management and the difference in efficiency is night and day. More families should embrace tech solutions.

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Vikram J.

Interesting read, but I wish there was more data comparing India's growth with other APAC countries. How do we stack up against Singapore or Hong Kong in terms of family office sophistication?

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Neha R.

This makes me optimistic about India's financial future! When family offices invest in startups and philanthropy, everyone benefits. Hope to see more women leading these family offices too 💪

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.