The firm plans to explore active management of global equity funds investing in the US, Europe, India and Japan, according to Bangkok Post, quoting SCB AM’s CEO, Smith Banomyong. It aims to launch funds of various types this year, among them an interim dividend fund.
Currently, the firm offers funds investing abroad, including two Japan-focused funds, two US-focused funds, two Europe-focused funds and one India-focused fund. However, these are mostly feeder funds, according to the firm’s website. Overall, the firm has 49 funds that invest globally, including single-country and regional investment funds.
The firm is also reported to be looking at launching a cryptocurrency fund.
Banomyong acknowledged the risks behind cryptocurrencies and said that it would also need approval from Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the firm is still considering whether investors are open to the idea of investing in such a fund.
This year, it aims to increase AUM to THB 1.5trn ($48bn) from THB 1.3trn, according to the report.
SCB AM is the second largest asset manager in Thailand. As of the end of December, it managed $22bn of assets, which excludes fund of funds, according to data from Cerulli Associates. The largest manager is Kasikorn Asset Management, which manages $27.6bn in assets.
