Singapore tops global list for foreign commercial property investment in 2026

Singapore has emerged as the world's top destination for cross-border commercial property investment, with deals reaching S$10.3 billion in the first half of 2026. Global international property investment jumped 56 per cent to US$71.8 billion, driven by a resurgence in office sector deals across Asi

Singapore has become the leading global destination for foreign commercial property investment in 2026, with deals totalling S$10.3 billion in the first half of the year, according to data from global index provider MSCI as reported by The Business Times.

Worldwide, cross-border investment jumped 56 per cent to US$71.8 billion, driven by more deals in Asia and Europe, including purchases of premium offices, according to property agency JLL. The increase outpaced growth in overall property transactions, which rose 10 per cent year over year to US$604.6 billion, MSCI data showed.

International property investment in Asia quadrupled to US$19.3 billion, while investment in Europe rose 31 per cent to US$39.9 billion. "Singapore's recovery has been driven in large part by overseas capital, with global investors accounting for a significant share of activity in the city-state this year," said Benjamin Chow, MSCI's head of private assets research for Asia.

"There was a re-emergence of the office sector," Fraser Bowen, a director in JLL's capital markets business, told Reuters. He said international investors were particularly active in major European cities, including London and Milan. However, he noted that soaring borrowing costs would likely weigh on the interest rate-sensitive sector in the second half of the year. "Our volumes are always pretty well correlated to interest rates," he added.