Cook Islands Finance Promotes Services at STEP Asia
The jurisdiction's financial services agency attended the trust and estate planning conference in Singapore for the fifth consecutive year.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Financial Planning
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Cook Islands Finance took part in STEP Asia 2026, held October 20-21 in Singapore, to promote the country's financial services. CEO Tony Fe'ao attended with representatives from Southpac Trust and Trustees & Fiduciaries Cook Islands Ltd.
Why it matters
The conference brings together trust and estate planning professionals, lawyers, wealth managers and financial advisers, and attending lets the agency meet advisers face to face in a competitive international market. Such participation also builds the jurisdiction's profile as a well-regulated finance centre.
This is a self-reported participation record rather than a measured outcome, and the source gives no figures on leads, clients or revenue generated at the event. The Cook Islands has more than four decades of experience in international financial services, and this was the fifth consecutive year the agency attended STEP Asia.
The players
Cook Islands Finance
The government-linked agency responsible for promoting the Cook Islands as an international financial services centre.
Tony Fe'ao
The chief executive of Cook Islands Finance who attended STEP Asia 2026 in Singapore.
The details
Cook Islands Finance invited local trustee companies to join its delegation and connected conference delegates directly with them. The Cook Islands also has asset protection laws, which the agency highlights to international advisers.
Timeline
October 20-21, 2026: STEP Asia 2026 held in Singapore
November 2026: Cook Islands Finance concludes its 2026 conference programme at the Hawaiian Tax Institute
Market Landscape
Attending STEP Asia for a fifth consecutive year reflects the Cook Islands' ongoing effort to keep its place among offshore trust jurisdictions that compete for the same Asia-Pacific advisers. The continued presence of Southpac Trust and Trustees & Fiduciaries Cook Islands Ltd alongside the agency signals a coordinated industry approach rather than a single-firm initiative.
For individuals with cross-border estates or trust needs, the conference reflects that Cook Islands trustee services are actively marketed to the advisers who arrange them. Readers considering offshore structures should confirm terms directly with a licensed trustee and their own adviser before acting.
The takeaway
Offshore trust jurisdictions compete actively for adviser relationships, so the choice of trustee and jurisdiction is worth comparing carefully against your own estate goals. Review any structure with qualified legal and tax professionals in the relevant countries.
What happens next
Cook Islands Finance will conclude its 2026 international conference programme at the Hawaiian Tax Institute in November 2026.
Further reading
Explore more on Financial Planning to see how trust structures and offshore jurisdictions fit into wealth planning.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Cook Islands News.
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