Clara Lim

Between all this talk of GST hikes and wealth taxes, it seems like many Singaporeans have a lot of growing costs to be concerned about. But the most pertinent cost for property owners might just be interest rate hikes, which will affect anyone with a bank mortgage. If you’re currently servicing a bank home loan, you might need to refinance soon. Let us walk you through how to prepare for it.

As the world’s largest, longest-standing, and most legitimate cryptocurrency, Bitcoin is here to stay . Thought leaders in the investment banking and private equity space, including and , agree and have been actively allocating to this new asset class. The question is, how should professional investors buy into this attractive institutional asset class? As you’ll see in this article, different pitfalls arise every step of the way, from buying to holding to selling to bequeathing Bitcoin.

There has been growing debate in different societal circles, including within the government, about the pros and cons of a wealth tax in Singapore. This isn’t unique to us, of course. In other countries such as the US, the UK, and China, wealth taxes have also become a hot button issue. With Covid-19 incurring unprecedented levels of public spending and exacerbating inequality in many counties, people are looking towards the ultra-wealthy to pay their dues.

Most Singaporeans start investing by buying shares such as CapitaLand or DBS on the Singapore stock exchange. These SGX-listed blue chip stocks seem safe, tend to be stable, and can offer passive income in the form of dividends. However, as we become increasingly financially savvy, a lot “graduate” into investing in the US stock market. The US stock market is where mega-companies like Apple, Tesla and Google are listed, and can fast-track the growth of your investment portfolio compared to investing only locally.

They say that every cloud has a silver lining, but did you realise it works the other way around too? That’s right, even stellar things like having excellent WiFi coverage in your home (some say best in your ‘hood too) can have its bad points. But why??? It seems like an obviously good thing to have in the era of work-from-home — and Covid-friendly hobbies like gaming. Duh. What kind of downsides could there possibly be?!

Cryptocurrency has come a long way since the very first Bitcoin in the world was mined back in 2009. Almost 12 years on, it’s safe to say that cryptocurrency has well and truly emerged from the shadows and come into the mainstream. But with cryptocurrency’s widespread interest and adoption comes another issue: how do we ensure that this innovation begets more good than harm? That’s the sentiment underpinning the numerous regulatory frameworks that are just beginning to emerge.

Running a small-to-medium F&B business in Singapore is seldom easy, especially given the competitive landscape and high operating costs here. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges that many local eateries and restaurants continue to grapple with, even today. Even as we approach the two-year ‘anniversary’ since COVID-19 hit our shores, the fight is far from over especially with the new variant Omicron threatening the way of life yet again.

Following a trend that began last year at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Singapore’s property market boomed all through 2021. According to Minister for National Development Desmond Lee, private housing prices rose by 9% since Q1 2020, while HDB resale flat prices rose by 15% in the same period. That’s a pretty strong showing considering that there is still no end in sight for Covid-19. (Like a bad movie series, it keeps churning out instalment after instalment…)

DBSS flats are public apartments built under the Housing & Development Board's (HDB) short-lived Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) from 2005 to 2012. They are a unique (and premium) breed of HDB flats in Singapore, which are built by private developers. DBSS flats are known for their high prices. In fact, many of the million-dollar HDB transactions involved 5-room DBSS flats in sought-after locations. Recent ones include Natura Loft DBSS in Bishan, which was sold at $1.36m, a record high for all HDB flats ($1.36m) in October and $1.295 million in July, and The Peak @ Toa Payoh, where a 5-room flat was sold for $1.238m in August 2021. But let's look behind the news headlines to figure out what exactly HDB DBSS flats are and whether they are worthy of such sensational prices.

This post was written in collaboration with Singtel Dash. While we are financially compensated by them, we nonetheless strive to maintain our editorial integrity and review products with the same objective lens. We are committed to providing the best information in order for you to make personal financial decisions with confidence. You can view our Editorial Guidelines here. Clearing annual leave and racking your brains for ways to fill up all that free time? Completely understandable. There’s

This post was written in collaboration with Syfe. While we are financially compensated by them, we nonetheless strive to maintain our editorial integrity and review products with the same objective lens. We are committed to providing the best information in order for you to make personal financial decisions with confidence. You can view our Editorial Guidelines here. Most Singaporeans wouldn’t even dream of uttering the words “financial independence” in the same breath as “being a parent”.

This post was written in collaboration with Sleek. While we are financially compensated by them, we nonetheless strive to maintain our editorial integrity and review products with the same objective lens. We are committed to providing the best information in order for you to make personal financial decisions with confidence. You can view our Editorial Guidelines here. As a newly minted freelancer, I hope to start my own business one day. But as cool as it sounds to be CEO of my own company,

HDB executive maisonettes are a rare breed in Singapore’s property market. Essentially two-storey HDB flats, they are no longer in production, having been (somewhat) replaced in 1995 by the executive condominium scheme (EC).

Like anything else that is digital in nature, virtual currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are vulnerable to security and privacy breaches. Such breaches can happen even if the cryptocurrency itself is highly secure. For example, Bitcoin’s blockchain ledger is designed with such robust safeguards in place that it is practically impossible to counterfeit BTC or make fraudulent transactions.

As a professional investor, you wouldn’t be new to the importance of diversification in investments. By spreading one’s capital across multiple asset types, a well-diversified portfolio allows you to gain exposure to high-growth vehicles while reducing the risk of putting all your eggs in one basket. Although not a traditional asset class like stocks or bonds, cryptocurrency is worthy of serious consideration as part of your portfolio diversification strategy.

Unless we live in or travel to a country like El Salvador, where Bitcoin is legal tender, we generally can’t transact on a day-to-day basis with BTC just yet (albeit Paypal is allowing consumers in the US and Europe to transact with BTC).

Bitcoin has its fair share of skeptics. For many critics, the elephant in the room is Bitcoin’s massive environmental impact. This issue isn’t new but was famously brought into the mainstream conversation by Tesla CEO (and on-again, off-again Bitcoin proponent) Elon Musk in May 2021.

As the world’s oldest cryptocurrency and the largest by market share, it’s clear that Bitcoin reigns supreme as king of the crypto universe. Nevertheless, investors should not underestimate the runners-up. These other cryptocurrencies are collectively known as “altcoins”. There are thousands of altcoins, thanks to the low barrier to creating new crypto tokens.

Cryptocurrency is not just an investment asset class — it’s also a new technology that’s developing even as you read this article. Let us help get you up to speed with the most important crypto terminology in 2021.

As a relatively new concept, cryptocurrency is often misunderstood. This article will give potential investors a broad overview of the cryptocurrency market and explain its significance as both an investment asset class and technology.