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Jean Low · · 5 min readWhy Singapore family offices are missing out on the AI gold rush
With additional reporting by Elyssa Lopez.
Singapore’s family offices have embraced AI, but they can’t quite break into the cap table of their favorite AI companies. And it’s not by choice.
A recent Ocorian survey of 25 family offices based in the city-state found that despite 96% of them deploying AI tools for operations and data management, none are currently investing in the technology.
Singapore is home to over 2,000 family offices, making it the second top destination of high-net-worth families worldwide. / Photo credit: Creative Bird / Shutterstock
Though based on a small sample size, the survey still highlights the struggles that Singapore’s family offices face in joining the AI investment rush.
“The excitement around AI is undeniable, but accessing early-stage opportunities remains a real challenge,” says Natacha Minniti, global co-head of the family office practice at JP Morgan Private Bank.
Missing out on the race
Singapore is home to 2,720 family offices, making it the second top destination for high-net-worth families looking to set up an office, according to a report by PwC. That’s 2.5x more than New York City’s figure and 3x more than London’s.
The report also revealed that deal value in Singapore family offices’ venture investments reached US$2.4 billion between July 2024 and June 2025, an almost 3x jump from the year-ago period.
PwC noted that globally, family offices have shifted their focus to AI, machine learning, and SaaS when it comes to venture investments. Deal value for family office investments in AI and machine learning firms stood at US$123.3 billion between July 2024 and June 2025, a 2.5x year-on-year increase.
However, a 2026 report from JP Morgan Private Bank revealed that while 65% of family offices globally aim to prioritize AI, over half lack exposure to the growth equity and VC firms driving the sector’s innovation.
In Singapore, part of the challenge is that most investment opportunities are focused on a handful of private companies.
Consider the top AI firms expected to go public in the next two years: SpaceX is preparing to IPO by mid-2026, while Anthropic and OpenAI are rumored to follow suit. All of these firms are US-based.
Bridging the gap
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Singapore’s family offices aren’t riding the AI investment wave. Here’s what’s holding them back and how they can catch up.
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