OCBC has launched a securities financing unit for institutional investors as demand grows for liquidity and balance sheet efficiency, according to The Business Times.

The unit sits within the bank’s global markets division and is designed to mobilise lendable securities held by institutional clients across the OCBC group.

This includes assets held with OCBC and its subsidiaries OCBC Securities, Bank of Singapore and Great Eastern.

The platform will cover both equities and fixed-income instruments.

Institutional clients can earn additional fee income and improve capital utilisation by lending out securities that are not actively deployed.

OCBC said interest in securities financing has increased as institutional investors place greater emphasis on liquidity access and efficient capital deployment, particularly amid ongoing market volatility.

The securities financing unit will be led by Jansen Chua, who joined the bank earlier this month as Head of Securities Finance.

He reports to Kenneth Lai, Head of Global Markets at OCBC.

Chua was previously Senior Managing Director and Head of Financing Solutions for Asia-Pacific at State Street Bank and Trust Company.

He brings more than 25 years of experience across securities services, securities finance and prime brokerage, with roles spanning the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

OCBC said the new unit reflects evolving institutional client needs as they seek more flexible funding tools and greater balance sheet efficiency in a challenging market environment.

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