Muscat: Jabal Asset Management is at an advanced stage of preparing a Hong Kong-based exchange-traded fund (ETF) that would allocate 50 per cent of its investments to the Omani market and the remaining 50 per cent to other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets. The proposed investment structure was disclosed by Issa Mohammed al Battashi, Managing Director of Jabal Asset Management, during a panel discussion at ConFEAS 2026 in Muscat on Tuesday.Al Battashi said the planned fund was intended to strengthen connections between financial markets, widen opportunities for portfolio diversification and facilitate investment across borders.
The disclosure follows a memorandum of understanding signed by Jabal Asset Management and E Fund Management (Hong Kong) on September 9 to cooperate on developing and listing cross-border ETFs connecting Oman and other GCC markets with Hong Kong and mainland China.
Speaking during a session on technological developments in capital markets, Al Battashi said preparations for the Hong Kong-based fund had reached an advanced stage.He outlined a proposed investment allocation of 50 per cent to Oman and 50 per cent to other GCC markets, offering further detail on the type of regional exposure the fund is expected to provide. He did not disclose the proposed fund’s size, expected launch date or listing arrangements, nor did he indicate whether the necessary regulatory approvals had been obtained. Al Battashi said cross-border investment products could help connect capital between markets and provide investors with opportunities to diversify their portfolios beyond a single country. He argued that broader market connectivity could support liquidity, capital flows and price discovery, particularly in markets seeking to deepen investor participation.The proposed fund would offer a potential investment route linking Hong Kong with Omani and other GCC securities, subject to its final structure and regulatory requirements.
Al Battashi also emphasised that the transformation of capital markets involved more than technological advances. While digital platforms had made access to financial markets increasingly straightforward, he said investment firms needed to focus on developing products suited to a wider range of investors.He highlighted the importance of retail participation alongside institutional investment, arguing that broader access would be more meaningful when supported by suitable investment opportunities.
The ability to differentiate financial services through technology alone was diminishing, he suggested, placing greater importance on product development and innovation. Al Battashi said investors increasingly needed opportunities to diversify geographically rather than concentrate their portfolios in a single market. The Hong Kong ETF initiative reflects that approach, combining proposed exposure to Oman with investments elsewhere in the GCC.If launched, the fund could provide an additional channel for international investors seeking exposure to Omani equities and other Gulf markets. The scale of any resulting investment flows would depend on its eventual size, portfolio composition and investor demand.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
