More than one in 10 (11 per cent) high net worth (HNW) business owners are considering moving wealth to the UK, the second most popular country for attracting international wealth, according to a report from HSBC Private Bank.

Singapore ranked as the preferred location for entrepreneurs to move personal wealth to at 15 per cent, followed by the UK and Switzerland (both 11 per cent), which were attracting international movements of wealth as HNWs in Asia and the Middle East diversified.

HSBC Private Bank noted that while the UK is often considered attractive for cultural and educational reasons, global entrepreneurs were more interested in the country for investment and business opportunities.

The UK was the nation where entrepreneurs expressed the highest levels of optimism about their business prospects, driven by positivity about prospective business opportunities and technological advancements.

Three quarters (75 per cent) of UK-based HNW business owners felt ‘very positive’ about their business prospects, while 23 per cent were ‘fairly positive’, 1 per cent were neutral, and 1 per cent felt ‘fairly negative’.

HSBC’s Global Entrepreneurial Wealth Report 2025 highlighted a ‘decisive shift’ in cross-border wealth flows among business owners.

The majority (59 per cent) were diversifying wealth internationally, 57 per cent were considering a personal move abroad, and 49 per cent planned to expand their business into new markets.

The report showed that entrepreneurs were adapting to the evolving economic environment by focusing on cross-border trade and the movement of wealth within regions, especially in Asia and the Asia-Middle East corridor.

Despite the ongoing volatility and geopolitical uncertainty, 94 per cent of global entrepreneurs were positive about their business prospects and 90 per cent expected their personal wealth to increase in the future.

Technology was the key driver for optimism, with 62 per cent citing technological advancements or AI as the top factors for their positivity, while investing in AI was the most popular strategy for expansion.

However, volatility in financial markets was the primary concern among entrepreneurs in relation to their personal wealth (40 per cent), followed by inflation (36 per cent).

While 78 per cent said they had a clear business succession plan, 51 per cent worried about business continuity if they are not around.

Two in five (40 per cent) ex-entrepreneurs passed their business on to family, while 20 per cent sold, 17 per cent transferred to non-family members, and 14 per cent closed it down.

“In a year when long-established trade patterns have been challenged, entrepreneurs have adapted and thrived in the new environment,” commented HSBC Private Bank a.i. chief executive, Gabriel Castello.

“Their innovation and optimism have helped deepen trade routes and create new corridors, particularly between the Middle East and wealth hubs in Asia.

“Our research demonstrates that entrepreneurs are positioning themselves for the next phase of global growth and using these corridors to diversify and create wealth.”

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