Offshore Investing for South Africans: Diversification and Risk Management

Offshore investing can do far more than diversify a portfolio. Eugene Taljaard CFA, CFP® of Momentum Wealth International explores how offshore solutions can help clients manage risk, gain hard-currency exposure and structure wealth for long-term growth, estate planning and intergenerational wealth transfer. Read more in COVER below. #investments #offshore #globalinvesting #diversification Momentum Investments https://lnkd.in/dd735YJx

Offshore investing does not have to mean picking the next big US technology stock or navigating a maze of foreign accounts on your own. On EBnet today, Wendy Myers, Head of Securities at PSG Wealth, explains why South Africans need to look beyond familiar local names and how the right offshore structure can add meaningful diversification, tax efficiency and estate planning flexibility to a long-term portfolio. Whether an investor uses direct offshore investing, rand-denominated feeder funds, JSE-listed global ETFs or dual-listed shares, the key is to start with objectives, risk tolerance and the most appropriate investment vehicle. https://lnkd.in/dD2xd3cQ

The Global Fund Management Safe Harbor regime in India, governed by (Section 9A) of the Income-tax Act, shields offshore investment funds from being taxed in India solely because they use an India-based fund manager. The Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 passed by the Lok Sabha dramatically scales back the entry barriers to this regime. It slashes the eligibility checklist for offshore funds from 13 complex conditions down to just 5 core criteria, removing rigid structural rules to position India as a global asset management hub. ❌ What Was Removed? The 2026 amendment eliminates the restrictive size and diversification criteria that historically made the safe harbor unviable for most global funds: (1)No Minimum Corpus: Scrapped the mandatory monthly average corpus requirement of ₹100 crore ($12 million). (2)No Minimum Investor Cap: Abolished the rule requiring a minimum of 25 distinct investors. (3)No Investor Concentration Limits: Removed the restriction preventing a single investor from holding more than 10% or 25% of the fund. (4)No Single-Entity Investment Cap: Removed the bar against investing more than 25% of the fund's total corpus into a single entity. (5)No Associate Entity Bans: Revoked the absolute restriction against deploying investments into associate companies. The 5 Remaining Safe Harbor ConditionsTo prevent "round-tripping" (routing domestic wealth through offshore tax havens) and ensure economic substance, The fund must satisfy only these remaining checkpoints: (1)Non-Resident Status: The eligible investment fund must be a non-resident entity in India. (2)Jurisdiction Rule: The fund must be established or resident in a country with which India has a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) or a notified tax jurisdiction. (3)5% Indian Resident Limit: The aggregate investment or participation in the fund by Indian residents, directly or indirectly, must not exceed 5% of the fund’s total corpus. (4)No Control over Indian Businesses: The offshore fund cannot directly or indirectly control or manage any business operating within India. (5)Clear Business Connection Boundary: No individual or entity acting on behalf of the offshore fund can create an Indian business connection, excluding the operations of the registered eligible fund manager. 💡 Strategic Impact Previously: Most Indian fund managers were restricted to acting merely as "investment advisors" to avoid triggering heavy corporate tax liabilities for the parent fund. With these structural conditions gone, global asset managers can shift their actual fund management and investment decision-making desks to India or GIFT City while retaining complete tax immunity for their global portfolios.

The "spend at any cost" Vision 2030 phase is ending... A powerful investment ecosystem doesn't necessarily need to be a traditional investment bank or packed with all Investment gurus. Governance + proprietary network + disciplined capital allocation + long-term relationships can itself become the moat. Oil revenue...yes it still need the oil revenue https://lnkd.in/gjSCPwnh

Financial Conduct Authority Research - The UK alternative investment fund market This research looks at the UK AIF market, how it has changed over time and how risks and vulnerabilities are distributed across the market. The UK AIF market has grown significantly, with the value of funds managed in the UK reaching £1.8tn in 2025. Growth in funds marketed in the UK has been broadly spread across fund types, although private credit has emerged as one of the fastest growing segments of the market. The findings have informed our proposals to modernise the UK Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD). The findings provide a snapshot of the market before our proposed regulatory reforms, setting a baseline to help the FCA evaluate future regulatory changes. Our other key findings include: 🔹 Professional investors remain at the centre of the market. 🔹 Leverage and liquidity risks are concentrated in certain fund types rather than widespread across the market. 🔹 The AIF sector is characterised by specialist firms operating alongside a relatively small number of very large managers. The analysis draws on data that fund managers report to the FCA under the AIFMD. It covers all AIFs available to UK investors between 2021 and 2025. When looking at UK-managed AIFs, coverage goes back to 2016. This is the first FCA publication to use regulatory data to build a market-wide picture of this sector. Public data on this market has been limited until now.

Onshore investment bond providers could do more to ensure their products are compatible with adviser centralised investment propositions (CIPs), new research from @Chesnara Life (UK) Ltd shows. #Bonds https://lnkd.in/eE5rdSnX

We have published a research note looking at the market for alternative investment funds in the UK using the regulatory data we collect. https://lnkd.in/epYnfekf

Aces' Didier Roemers and Wouter Verhelst have again contributed to the Belgian chapter of Legal 500's 7th edition of the Alternative Investment Funds Country Comparative Guides. The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the legal and regulatory framework governing alternative investment funds in Belgium. It outlines key requirements and practical considerations for fund managers and investors, offering valuable insights into the current Belgian AIF landscape. You will find the chapter below. For further information or if you have any inquiries regarding alternative investment funds in Belgium, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. https://lnkd.in/eaku4U4j

Standard Chartered this week launched its Variable Capital Company (VCC) - Signature Select, in Kenya, following approval from the Capital Markets Authority (CMA). The platform gives eligible Sophisticated Investors access to professionally managed global investment strategies across markets and asset classes, bringing together leading global fund managers under a single investment framework. Unlike a single investment fund, a VCC can house multiple funds and investment strategies within one structure. This gives Standard Chartered the flexibility to curate different investment solutions as investor needs and market opportunities evolve, while its investment professionals select fund managers, conduct due diligence and provide global asset-class expertise. Four strategies are currently available in Kenya: Enhanced Gold Income by Allianz, APAC Allocation Plus by BlackRock, US Allocation by T. Rowe Price and Global Income Plus by PIMCO. The platform has already accumulated USD 20 million in assets under management just four months after launch. The launch comes as Kenya’s wealth market continues to develop, with an estimated 7,000 US-dollar millionaires and growing demand for diversified portfolios, global investment opportunities and professionally managed strategies. Across Africa, the millionaire population is projected to grow by 65% over the next decade, potentially expanding the pool of investors seeking access to global markets and alternative investment opportunities. Signature Select is part of Standard Chartered’s open-architecture approach, allowing the bank to draw on specialist capabilities from different global fund managers rather than being limited to a single provider. The platform, which originated in Singapore and has expanded to markets including Hong Kong, the UAE and Jersey, is launching simultaneously in Kenya and Nigeria, further connecting African investors to the bank’s global investment network. For Kenya’s eligible Sophisticated Investors, the platform adds another avenue for accessing global investment expertise and diversified strategies within a professionally managed framework.

Why is FiinGroup investing its time and expertise in the Vietnam Fund Awards 2026? Because, at its core, fund management is a business of information and trust. Vietnam does not lack savings or investment appetite. The larger challenge is building a market in which performance can be compared consistently, risks are understood, and investors have sufficient confidence to commit capital for the long term. VFA 2026 is therefore more than an awards ceremony. It is an opportunity to recognize investment performance while encouraging greater transparency, stronger professional standards and a more diverse fund ecosystem. As co-organizer and technical data partner, FiinGroup contributes its data and analytical capabilities to support a consistent, evidence-based assessment process. This is closely aligned with our mission to Enlighten the Market: narrowing information gaps and turning data into intelligence that supports better decisions. We look forward to engaging with fund managers, institutional investors, distributors, regulators and technology partners on how Vietnam can unlock more professionally managed, long-term capital. 📅 22 September 2026 📍 Pullman Hanoi Hotel, Hanoi #FiinGroup #VietnamFundAwards #VFA2026 #FundManagement #AssetManagement #WealthTech #CapitalMarkets