The Business Times · 15 Sep, 23:00 · Business briefing

Singapore’s covered bond boom is largely a DBS story

Recent reporting indicates that Singapore’s expanding covered bond market is currently dominated by DBS Group.

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The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Recent reporting indicates that Singapore’s expanding covered bond market is currently dominated by DBS Group. While the sector experiences overall growth, this specific institution accounts for the majority of issuance volume. This concentration highlights DBS’s strategic advantage in leveraging its substantial real estate asset base to secure low-cost funding. For market observers, this trend underscores the bank’s significant influence on local capital markets and its ability to capitalise on regulatory frameworks favouring such instruments. The data suggests a temporary imbalance where one player drives the narrative, potentially shaping investor expectations and competitive dynamics within the broader Asian financial landscape.

Employer demand for Finance and Accounting skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

This concentration signals that deep expertise in structured finance and asset-backed lending is becoming increasingly valuable. As a professional, you must understand how major banks leverage balance sheets for funding advantages. If you work in banking, focus on regulatory compliance and risk modelling for real estate-backed instruments. These skills are critical as the market matures. You should also monitor how this dominance affects competitors and potential entry points for smaller institutions. Upskill in financial modelling and regulatory frameworks to stay relevant. Understanding the mechanics of covered bonds will differentiate you in roles involving capital markets, treasury management, or credit analysis. Proactively seek projects involving asset securitisation to build practical experience in this high-demand niche.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Finance and Accounting, Risk Management Strategies, Financial Modeling and Compliance And Governance — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

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