In the global landscape of capital flow, Singapore, Dubai, and Hong Kong have become the three most discussed nodes among high-net-worth individuals. They are not just cities, but represent three different wealth logics: preserve, hide, create. Choosing where to go is not just about passports and identity, but also about life stages and wealth paths.
Singapore: A Place of Wealth Preservation in Order
Singapore is a typical "wealth service market," not a capital market. It is clean, safe, with clear rules and orderly social structure. However, it is not a breeding ground for starting from scratch, but a haven for wealth settlement.
If you are middle class, you can at most obtain PR (Permanent Residency), but it is difficult to integrate into core resources: educational benefits and medical subsidies are always prioritized for citizens. If you are a high-net-worth individual, you can set up a family office, but the threshold has already been raised to over 20 million Singapore dollars. Coupled with frequent KYC checks and strict fund supervision, it means it is a "safe," not a "launch pad."
By the end of 2024, Singapore will have hosted over 2000 family offices, a 40% increase year-on-year. Its value lies not in helping you "create wealth," but in helping you "preserve wealth." If you are financially free and seek stability and legacy, Singapore is undoubtedly the best choice.
Dubai: Oasis for the Exiles
"Zero tax," "free port," "luxurious lifestyle" are labels of Dubai, but behind these halos is a regulatory vacuum. Money enters easily, but doesn't leave freely. Accounts may be frozen for unknown reasons, and the liquidity of wealth is often restricted.
Many come with expectations, only to find themselves always feeling like tourists: limited social circles, difficult educational transitions for children, and hard to establish a long-term sense of belonging.
Dubai's role is more like a "strategic buffer zone." It doesn't ask where the money comes from, just provides a place to hide. Suitable for short-term risk avoidance, temporary concealment, or as a backup during sensitive phases. However, it is hard to be a long-term home or provide a deep sense of security.
Hong Kong: The Hardcore Wealth Game Room
Unlike the stability of Singapore and the ambiguity of Dubai, Hong Kong is a real "wealth creation arena." It is not just nominally an international financial center, but a system-level privilege.
Hong Kong is a key interface for the internationalization of the Renminbi: Renminbi goes out from here, and dollars come in. Companies finance and issue bonds here, and foreign capital enters the Chinese market through Hong Kong Stock Connect and Bond Connect. It is not a substitute, but an extension—providing a flexible secondary system for mainland finance.
On the surface, you live in Hong Kong; in reality, you stand at the hub of global capital. It undertakes "creation" and "conversion": creating wealth, converting capital, and gambling on risks. Therefore, it is a game room for winners, not a nursing home for the complacent.
The Three Poles of Wealth Logic
Singapore: Preserve and Pass — Custody of assets, inheritance of family business, maintenance of order.
Dubai: Hide and Avoid — Strategic invisibility, flexible turnover, short-term risk avoidance.
Hong Kong: Create and Convert — Creating wealth, converting capital, gambling on risks.
Identity is not a role, but a tool. Different people, at different stages of life, have completely different needs for tools. Those who need stability and legacy choose Singapore; those in sensitive periods or needing to hide, temporarily shelter in Dubai; and those eager to leverage global capital for expansion, inevitably cannot bypass Hong Kong.
Ultimately, the key is not what the city is like, but who you are and what you want.
