In just over 50 years, Singapore has established itself as a thriving financial centre of international repute, serving not only its domestic economy, but also the wider Asia Pacific region and in some instances, the world. Singapore's financial centre offers a broad range of financial services including banking, insurance, investment banking and treasury services. Singapore's unique location and sophisticated telecommunications network allow financial institutions here to transact business with any part of the world within the same working day. International travel out of Singapore is equally convenient, with more than 84 international airlines operating scheduled services through Singapore to more than180 cities in 57 countries worldwide.

A key aspect of Singapore's financial centre is its deep and liquid capital markets. With one of the more well-established capital markets in Asia-Pacific. Today, Singapore has grown to be the largest Real Estate Investment Trust (REITs) market in Asia. Singapore is a hub as it provides an extensive offering of investments in business trusts of shipping, aviation and infrastructure assets.

Singapore's bond market has also grown significantly. With an extensive range of both Singapore government securities and foreign corporate bonds available, Singapore offers fixed income investors a wide range of investment opportunities.

As one of the top 5 most active foreign exchange trading centres in the world, Singapore is also the second largest over-the-counter derivatives trading centre in Asia, and a leading commodities derivatives trading hub.

Singapore has long been recognised as one of the best cities for business. In the Swiss-based international Institution for Management Development's 2008 World Competitiveness Yearbook,Singapore has been ranked as the second-most competitive country in the world after the United States. This is what a World Bank report had to say about doing business in Singapore "It takes an entrepreneur just over 6 working days to get a new business going in Singapore, with low start-up costs. Overall, taking into account other factors, including business licensing, taxes, credit legal rights and investor protection, Singapore has about the most business-friendly regulation in the world."

Investors in Singapore have also come to appreciate the high levels of transparency and reliability in business, economic and regulatory affairs in Singapore. A stable political structure with parliamentary democracy, a well-established judicial system, and the presence of strong domestic institutions with good corporate governance practices, have made the Singapore business environment even more attractive to global investors.

Singapore is strategically located in a region of opportunities. Located at the heart of Southeast Asia, Singapore is well placed to serve the fast-growing markets of the Asia-Pacific region. Financial institutions in Singapore also trade around-the-clock with Asia-Pacific centres, as well as European (8 hours away) and American centres (16 hours away), making Singapore a significant hub for 24-hour trading in foreign exchange and securities. International travel is equally convenient. Singapore has grown to be a strategic link and important gateway for global investors.

As an international financial centre, Singapore offers financial institutions a pro-business environment, excellent infrastructure, cost-competitiveness, a highly skilled and cosmopolitan labour force,and is strategically located in a region of opportunities.