An accredited investor in Singapore is an individual who meets the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) criteria under the Securities and Futures Act — specifically net personal assets exceeding SGD 2 million, annual income of at least SGD 300,000, or net financial assets above SGD 1 million. Qualifying as an accredited investor unlocks access to investment products not available to retail investors. This article is informational and does not constitute financial advice.
The accredited investor framework is designed to distinguish sophisticated investors who can bear greater financial risk from ordinary retail investors who require stronger regulatory protections. In Singapore, the distinction significantly affects what investment products you can access — from private equity funds to structured products and hedge funds.
Table of Contents
- MAS Accredited Investor Definition
- The Three Qualifying Thresholds
- How to Opt In as an Accredited Investor
- What Products Accredited Investors Can Access
- Risks of Accredited Investor Status
- Accredited vs Institutional Investors
- FAQ
MAS Accredited Investor Definition
The MAS defines an accredited investor under Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act (SFA Cap. 289). The definition was updated in 2018 to add an opt-in requirement — even if you meet the financial thresholds, you must actively choose to be treated as an accredited investor, as you waive certain retail investor protections when you do.
At Q1 2026, the thresholds remain unchanged since the 2018 amendments.
The Three Qualifying Thresholds
Net Personal Assets ≥ SGD 2 million: Your total assets minus total liabilities exceed SGD 2 million. However, for the purpose of this test, the value of your primary residential property can only be counted up to SGD 1 million (to prevent property-rich, cash-poor individuals from qualifying solely on the basis of an inflated home valuation).
Annual Income ≥ SGD 300,000: Your gross annual income from employment, business, or investment income is at least SGD 300,000 in the preceding 12 months. This is assessed per individual, not household.
Net Financial Assets ≥ SGD 1 million: Your financial assets (deposits, securities, insurance products, CPF balances excluding the residential property exclusion) net of any liabilities used to finance those assets exceed SGD 1 million. This threshold was introduced in 2018 as a more targeted measure of investment sophistication.
How to Opt In as an Accredited Investor
Meeting the thresholds alone is not sufficient. Under the 2018 SFA amendments, individuals must explicitly opt in to accredited investor status with each financial institution. Your bank or broker will typically ask you to sign a declaration form, provide supporting documentation (latest income tax notice, bank statements, CPF statement), and confirm that you understand you are waiving certain retail-level protections such as the requirement to receive a product highlights sheet.
You can opt out at any time and revert to retail investor status. MAS designed the opt-in requirement specifically to prevent financial institutions from automatically treating high-net-worth customers as accredited investors without their knowledge.
What Products Accredited Investors Can Access
Accredited investors can access a significantly wider range of financial products in Singapore, including: structured products (dual currency investments, equity-linked notes, accumulators), private equity funds and venture capital funds, hedge funds and real asset funds, unlisted debentures and convertible notes from startups, and complex derivatives. Many of these products carry higher fees, less liquidity, and greater risk than standard retail products like ETFs and unit trusts.
Singapore-based platforms like Syfe, Endowus, and others offer accredited-investor-only fund classes with lower minimum investments and access to institutional-grade portfolios. See our robo advisor guide for more detail.
Risks of Accredited Investor Status
Opting in as an accredited investor means you receive reduced MAS-mandated disclosures. Financial institutions are not required to provide you with product highlights sheets (PHS) or full prospectuses for many investment products. You are assumed to have the sophistication to conduct your own due diligence. This is not a problem if you are genuinely sophisticated — but for investors who qualify on asset thresholds alone (for example, property-rich retirees), the reduced protections can be a real risk.
Accredited vs Institutional Investors
Institutional investors in Singapore include banks, insurers, statutory boards, pension funds, and entities with net assets exceeding SGD 10 million. They receive even fewer mandatory disclosures than accredited investors. Individual accredited investors sit between retail and institutional in terms of regulatory protection.
For further reading on Singapore investing concepts, see our guides on CPFIS, hedge funds in Singapore, and private equity.