UBS Bets on the Rise of Asia’s Female Wealth Segment
UBS Global Wealth Management’s Asia co-heads Amy Lo and Jin Yee Young spoke to finews.asia about their view on the rise of female riches and the Swiss private bank’s efforts to capture this opportunity.
The share of riches owned by women is on the rise as growth accelerates with the wealth of female billionaires increasing by an average of 8.4 percent to $5.2 billion in 2025, according to the UBS Billionaire Ambitions Report, more than doubling men’s growth rate of 3.2 percent to $5.4 billion.
One of the drivers is the historic wealth transfer with women obtaining wealth through both spousal succession as well as intergenerational inheritance, especially in Asia.
«In many Asian families, daughters are now being entrusted with significant responsibilities in managing family wealth and businesses, reflecting a positive evolution in cultural attitudes,» said Amy Lo, the Hong Kong-based Asia Pacific co-head of UBS Global Wealth Management, in an interview with finews.asia.
Female Entrepreneurship
Beyond the wealth transfer, Asia is particularly a standout region for female wealth creation via entrepreneurship. Between 2015 and 2024, the number of female billionaires rose 81 percent to 344, with Asia being home to a relatively high proportion of self-made women.
«The growing prominence of female wealth holders is one of the most important structural shifts in the global wealth landscape. Women are not only inheriting more wealth, but increasingly creating it themselves through entrepreneurship, investments, and business leadership roles,» Lo added.
Distinct Financial Behaviors
The growing prominence of female wealth has led UBS to study and serve the group as a segment with tendencies that are unique from their male counterpart.
For example, women tend to prioritize financial security and resilience over short-term performance with UBS research indicating that they are 25 percent less likely to withdraw investments during major drawdowns compared to men. Female investors are also relatively more research-oriented, purpose-driven (71 percent invest with sustainability considerations compared to 58 percent of males) and likely to take a multi-generational view.
«Women investors display several distinct financial behaviors grounded in long-term planning and discipline,» said Jin Yee Young, UBS Global Wealth Management’s Singapore-based co-head for APAC.
Not a New Area of Focus
For UBS, women in wealth has been an existing area of focus with various ongoing efforts to better serve the segment.
The bank’s client advisors receive specialist training to deliver wealth advice through a female lens, recognizing life events such as entrepreneurship, inheritance or changes in marital status. Dedicated tools, education resources, self-assessments and events are offered to help women engage actively in financial decision-making. It also connects female entrepreneurs with capital, expertise and strategic networks to scale their businesses through initiatives like Project Female Founder and UBS Female Founder Award.
«At UBS, women’s wealth has been a strategic priority for over a decade. As one of the select global banks offering dedicated women’s wealth programs, we take a differentiated approach to advising, educating and partnering with our female clients,» Young concluded. «Together, these initiatives ensure women’s needs are embedded into how we deliver advice, design solutions and build long-term partnerships as women take on a larger role in global wealth and economic growth.»