Bank of Singapore Launches Bespoke Philanthropy Platform
Bank of Singapore is expanding its offering for wealthy families with a new philanthropy platform that gives clients access to donor-advised funds, including a bespoke structure allowing them to help shape how their charitable capital is invested.
Bank of Singapore has launched «Legacy of Giving», a philanthropy platform aimed at high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients seeking more structured ways to manage their charitable giving.
The OCBC private banking subsidiary is working with the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) and TT Foundation Advisors (TTFA), the philanthropy advisory arm of Temasek Trust, to provide access to donor-advised funds, or DAFs. The offering combines philanthropy advisory with the bank's wealth planning and investment management capabilities.
More Control Over Charitable Capital
A key feature is a bespoke DAF arrangement designed for clients with a significant pool of philanthropic capital.
Unlike conventional DAF structures, where donors typically select from a predefined range of investment options, the new arrangement allows eligible clients to play a more active role in shaping the investment approach for their charitable assets.
According to Bank of Singapore, it is the first arrangement of its kind in Singapore between a private bank and independent philanthropic organizations. Clients can draw on insights from the bank's Chief Investment Office when determining how their philanthropic capital is invested with the aim of supporting longer-term giving.
The platform also offers simpler alternatives. Clients can choose from bank-managed portfolios and funds pre-approved by CFS or TTFA, as well as grant-making DAFs without an investment component.
Growing Philanthropy Market
DAFs allow donors to contribute capital for charitable purposes while recommending the timing and size of grants. As the structures are professionally managed, administration, governance and due diligence can be handled without donors having to establish and operate their own private foundations.
While long established in the United States, the model is gaining traction in Asia. The number of DAFs in Singapore is expected to increase fivefold between 2025 and 2030, according to a 2024 Wealth Management Institute report cited by Bank of Singapore.
«As wealth accumulation accelerates in Asia, so too has the desire to translate wealth into meaningful and lasting impact,» Bank of Singapore CEO Jason Moo said.
He expects demand for such structures to increase as more wealthy families incorporate philanthropy into their wealth and legacy planning.
Temasek Trust Link
CFS brings nearly two decades of grant-making experience to the partnership. Since its establishment in 2008, the organization has helped create more than 300 donor-advised funds. As of the end of June 2026, it had raised more than S$403 million in donations and disbursed over S$257 million to charitable causes in Singapore.
TTFA, meanwhile, provides philanthropy advisory and management services to family offices, foundations, corporations and individual philanthropists and draws on the wider Temasek Trust ecosystem.
Bank of Singapore is the private banking subsidiary of OCBC and serves wealthy individuals and families across Asia, Greater China, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and other international markets.
