A convergence of generational wealth transfer across Asia and Australia’s peak safe-haven status is driving a new wave of property investment, with newly empowered Vietnamese, Indian, and Korean investors redirecting more capital toward Australian commercial assets, and increasingly looking beyond metro markets to regional centres.
A convergence of generational wealth transfer across Asia and Australia’s peak safe-haven status is driving a new wave of property investment, with newly empowered Vietnamese, Indian, and Korean investors redirecting more capital toward Australian commercial assets— and increasingly looking beyond metro markets to regional centres.
The shift comes as Asia-Pacific wealth is projected to grow faster than any other region globally, with demand for stable offshore investments in markets like Australia already soaring.
CBRE from CBRE director, Zomart He said this is backed up by their recent campaign with almost 20% of auction registrations now coming from Asian investors.
“This investment group has collectively secured $30 million in essential service assets over our most recent campaign, making up for more than 20 per cent of the total sales of which a third of this total was located in a regional centre.
“One recent auction campaign drew 31 Asian buyer registrations alone, including 23 Chinese and eight Vietnamese investors. This culminated in eight successful property sales across both metro and regional locations such as Glen Waverley, Denistone, Manly West, Ipswich, Chuwar, Yass, Murray Bridge, and Wangaratta.
“This widespread geographic uptake highlights a growing trend: Asian buyers are actively expanding beyond traditional metro markets into regional hubs, signalling increasing confidence in Australia’s broader commercial landscape.’
The results coincide with recent research by CBRE that found offshore investment increased by 17 per cent in the first half of this year.
Jimmy Tat, Senior Director of Australian Healthcare & Social Infrastructure at CBRE, told COMMO, “In our recent series of Expressions of Interest campaigns, we’ve seen a clear and consistent trend: Asian investor engagement continues to strengthen.
“Across the last four campaigns, three out of four properties were sold to Asian buyers, with Asian enquiries accounting for over 40% of total interest.
“While Chinese investors remain active, we’re increasingly seeing participation from other Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Cambodia, and also Korea—likely a result of China’s ongoing outbound capital restrictions.
“Our national Asian Services Desk team plays a key role in this success, covering most offshore markets and ensuring we’re capturing interest from a broad spectrum of potential buyers. This diversification reflects growing regional confidence in the Australian commercial market and a strategic shift toward essential service assets across both metro and regional locations.’
Mr He said they are noting an increase in Vietnamese buyers which accounted for over 25% of total registrations, underlining their rising presence and purchasing capability in the sector. Their engagement reflects Vietnam’s expanding economic strength and a maturing investor class seeking stable offshore assets.’
Mr He added that with a more diversified Asian investor base, the Australian commercial market is less reliant on any single country and is better positioned to absorb economic fluctuations. This evolution in buyer demographics, combined with sustained deal activity and asset class diversity, bodes well for continued growth in 2025.’