Citi's 2026 Family Office Survey: 26% of APAC Offices Beat 15% Returns, but the Sample Is Citi Clients Only

Citi Wealth's 2026 Global Family Office Report, released on 22 September 2026, found that 26% of responding Asia-Pacific family offices earned more than 15% year to date, the highest share of any region, but the results come from 351 Citi clients rather than a neutral sample.

TL;DR

• Returns: 26% of APAC respondents earned above 15% year to date, and 22% target annual returns above 15%, nearly double the global share, according to Citi.
• Behaviour: 79% of APAC respondents invest directly, 80% name AI a primary sector focus, and 62% use active management.
• Caveat: Citi's own clients answered, APAC was 22% of the sample, and Citi gives no sample breakdown or return definition.

What did Citi's 2026 Global Family Office Report find in Asia-Pacific?

Citi Wealth's Global Family Office Group, which works with more than 1,900 family offices, fielded the survey in June and July 2026. For APAC, Citi reports that 49% used hedging, 77% rely on internal teams as their top source of direct deals, and 53% rank stability of the global financial system as a top concern, with 52% citing market volatility. Citi suggests the Strait of Hormuz oil disruption may be a factor in those worries, noting that the strait carries 85% of oil bound for Asian markets. Citi also links part of the strong returns to the Nikkei 225, which it says rose about 30% through mid-June.

How reliable is the sample?

The survey drew 351 responses from 41 countries, and 22% came from APAC. By our arithmetic that is roughly 77 offices, so a figure such as 26% reflects about 20 respondents. That is a rough estimate, not a number Citi published. The questionnaire began at Citi Wealth's 11th Annual Family Office Leadership Summit and was then opened to Citi's wider client base. Citi does not explain how returns were measured, and many APAC comparisons are framed against unstated global averages. Treat the findings as a snapshot of Citi clients, not of Asia's family offices overall.

Why are APAC family offices favouring direct investing and AI?

Bernard Wai, Citi Wealth's head of Asia for Integrated Client Solutions and Global Family Office, describes a maturing APAC landscape in which offices need the talent, set-up and governance of a sovereign wealth fund style investment mindset. Globally, Citi says AI is being used for analysis, reporting and workflow automation, with a focus on productivity rather than alpha, and that final decisions remain with humans. See our related coverage on why Asia is drawing family office growth bets and how Singapore draws safe-haven inflows (https://asiafamilyofficehub.com/singapore-family-office-safe-haven-inflows-5-strategic-lessons-for-apac-principals/).

What does it mean for family offices planning ahead?

Across all regions, Citi reports that about one-third of respondents expect leadership transitions within five years, citing unclear succession plans, weak readiness among future leaders and misaligned vision, and 38% expect family globalisation to rise. For governance and succession context, read our guide to next-generation control of family wealth (https://asiafamilyofficehub.com/family-office-succession-planning-how-asias-next-gen-wealthy-are-taking-control/) and our review of Singapore's revised single family office rules (https://asiafamilyofficehub.com/singapores-revised-single-family-office-rules-what-changed-and-what-existing-sfos-must-do-by-june-2027/). This is not investment, tax or legal advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many family offices did Citi survey?

351 family offices from 41 countries responded, with 22% from Asia-Pacific, according to Citi.

What share of APAC family offices invest directly?

Citi reports 79%, the highest of any region, with 77% saying internal teams are their leading source of deals.

Are the returns representative of all Asian family offices?

No. Respondents were Citi clients, and Citi has not published a sample breakdown or how returns were measured.

Sources and Method

Based on Citi Wealth's 2026 Global Family Office Report release (22 September 2026, via Media OutReach and Malay Mail) and Hubbis coverage (23 September 2026). The roughly 77 APAC respondents is our own estimate. Figures are Citi's and were not independently verified; the full report was not reviewed.