SGX to launch dual listing bridge with Nasdaq; MAS unveils S$30 million support package for listed firms

SINGAPORE: In a major push to boost Singapore’s appeal as a global fundraising hub, the Singapore Exchange (SGX) will collaborate with Nasdaq in the United States to enable companies to list simultaneously in both markets using a single prospectus. The move, unveiled following the completion of a year-long review by the Securities Markets Review Panel, is aimed at attracting more high-quality companies to list locally and improving overall market vitality.

The dual listing bridge is expected to be operational by the middle of next year, when companies will be able to tap the newly launched Global Listing Board for concurrent listings in Singapore and the US. Minister for National Development and Chairman of the Review Panel, Chee Hong Tat, said the initiative strengthens market connectivity, giving companies access to two capital markets at once. He added that such cross-border cooperation allows firms to raise funds more efficiently while boosting their brand visibility in Asia and internationally.

Alongside the dual listing framework, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced it will allocate S$30 million from the Financial Services Development Fund to help listed companies enhance investor relations and strengthen shareholder value. From next January, eligible companies can apply for subsidies to support improvements to their market strategies and communications efforts.

David Gerald, president of the Securities Investors Association (Singapore), welcomed the support measures. He noted that providing subsidies to train company executives to better articulate their growth story and valuation could help investors gain a deeper understanding of a firm’s prospects and encourage them to increase their investment.

To further stimulate trading activity, SGX also plans to lower the minimum trading threshold for higher-priced stocks. For counters priced above S$10, the standard trading unit will be reduced from 100 shares to 10 shares, a move aimed at making such stocks more accessible to a broader range of investors.

Separately, MAS announced the selection of the second batch of asset management companies under the Securities Market Development Scheme. To date, the scheme has invested nearly S$4 billion as part of ongoing efforts to deepen Singapore’s capital markets.