The Taiwan Monthly

About the TWSE

”Securities and Futures Industry’s Lunar New Year group greeting” on February 3, 2025

The Lunar New Year Group Greeting for the Securities and Futures Industry was held on February 3, 2025, at Taiwan Stock Exchange in Taipei 101. Competent authorities, peripheral units and industry associations, along with distinguished guests, gathered together to celebrate the prosperity of the capital market in the Year of the Snake.

Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) Chairman Jin-Lung Peng highlighted that, thanks to the concerted efforts of securities and futures-related institutions, Taiwan’s capital market delivered a robust performance in 2024. The Taiwan Stock Exchange Weighted Index (TAIEX) reached a record high, while the number of listed companies and the average daily trading volume also hit multi-year peaks.

Reflecting on 2024, the FSC actively shaped Taiwan into a uniquely positioned Asian asset management center by adjusting intraday odd-lot trading matching times, allowing securities firms to engage in stock subscription lending, and promoting a sustainability action plan for listed companies. Looking ahead, the FSC remains committed to its core principles of financial supervision, aiming to create a financial market that balances security and development. The Commission has outlined five key strategic directions for market supervision and capital market growth:

1. Advancing the Asian Asset Management Center Initiative: Focusing on expansion and integration, the FSC will implement strategies that connect various financial products and services with investors, fostering a one-stop service ecosystem to retain wealth and attract capital.

2. Strengthening Capital Resilience and Risk Supervision: The FSC will continue monitoring global regulatory trends, enhancing anti-money laundering measures, and implementing risk-based supervision to bolster the securities and futures markets.

3. Implementing Anti-Fraud Measures to Combat Financial Scams: The FSC will ensure that securities and financial institutions provide tailored financial products and services for different demographics while intensifying efforts to combat financial fraud, achieving the goal of effective fraud prevention.

4. Promoting Sustainable Finance for Industrial Sustainability and Net-Zero Transition: The FSC aims to support enterprises in their net-zero transition by encouraging disclosures of carbon reduction targets and strategies, thereby expanding the scope and impact of sustainability policies.

5. Attracting Innovative Enterprises to the Market: By easing qualification requirements for investors in the Taiwan Innovation Board and enhancing review processes, the FSC seeks to accelerate the development of an innovation-driven industrial ecosystem, positioning Taiwan’s capital market as a core hub for innovation in Asia. Additionally, through a "Capital Market Service Group" comprising the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) and related institutions, the FSC will facilitate the listing of high-quality enterprises and guide investment into national infrastructure projects.

Chairman Peng concluded by reiterating the FSC’s commitment to fostering an innovative and prosperous capital market while maintaining a balance between security and development. He expressed his willingness to collaborate closely with securities and futures institutions to drive the industry forward, ensuring Taiwan's capital market achieves new heights.

The TWSE Chairman Sherman Lin expressed gratitude to the regulatory authorities and industry associations for their support, which contributed to the capital market’s significant achievements over the past year. He also cautioned that the market will face unpredictable risks stemming from global political dynamics and geopolitical conflicts. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump remarked that Taiwan controls
98% of the global semiconductor market, hinting at potential tariffs on Taiwanese chips. Meanwhile, the release of a low-cost AI model by China’s startup DeepSeek underscores the intensifying U.S.-China AI technology rivalry.

Looking ahead to 2025, the TWSE will focus on three key principles—agility, innovation, and technology—to navigate opportunities and challenges, further enhancing the competitiveness of Taiwan’s capital market. 

1. Agile Transformation: The TWSE has actively fostered an agile workforce, reducing the average employee age from 52 to 46 within three years, with 30% of employees having served for five years or less. The organization embraces a multi-generational workforce, encouraging agile thinking and
cross-departmental collaboration beyond traditional silos. Externally, the TWSE and the Taipei Exchange have established a "Capital Market Service Group" to provide seamless, one-stop services. Employees are also encouraged to transition from traditional leather shoes to lightweight sneakers, symbolizing a shift toward agility and efficiency in workplace culture.