ICSID to set up a new office in Singapore
On 25 August 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Law (MinLaw) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) signed a Letter of Intent to formalise ICSID’s establishment of an office in Singapore. The office will be ICSID’s first office outside of its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The ICSID Singapore Office will serve as its regional hub, from which ICSID can administer cases, provide capacity-building and training, and engage more closely with government officials, lawyers, and organisations both in Singapore and across the region.1 Ultimately, the office will allow ICSID to better serve the region’s needs in investment dispute prevention and resolution.
Asia-Pacific as the engine for global growth
As of June 2025, 14% of investor parties and 6% of State parties to ICSID arbitrations came from South & East Asia and the Pacific region.2 While these figures remain modest compared to other regions, Asian parties’ participation in ICSID arbitrations is poised to grow along with the region’s economies.
In 2024, Asia drew the largest global share of foreign direct investment (FDI).3 South-East Asia stood out, with foreign investment in ASEAN countries up 10% from 2023, reaching a record US$ 225 billion in 2024.4 In addition, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has involved cumulative investment of over US$ 1.3 trillion, is likely to further stimulate such growth, with the first half of 2025 seeing the highest BRI engagement ever for any 6-month period.5
ICSID’s move into Asia follows that of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which established offices in Singapore and Vietnam in 2018 and 2022, respectively. Notably, the Asia-Pacific region had the highest proportion of State parties involved in PCA-administered cases in 2024.6
Singapore as an ISDS hub in Asia-Pacific and beyond
ICSID’s new office in Singapore is expected to strengthen the region’s investor-State dispute settlement landscape in various ways:
1. Case administration: Through its Singapore office, ICSID will be able to provide timely and responsive case administration services to the growing number of investors and States involved in disputes in the Asia-Pacific region, ensuring that parties receive prompt assistance and guidance throughout the arbitration process.
2. Hearing venue: Singapore is a popular hearing venue for both investor-State and commercial arbitrations, with state-of-the-art hearing facilities at Maxwell Chambers. ICSID’s new presence will make it even more attractive for parties to hold their ICSID hearings in the city-state, especially in cases where parties, counsel or witnesses are based in the region.
3. Outreach: ICSID’s new office in Singapore will allow ICSID to conduct outreach, actively engage with Asia-Pacific users, and enhance both its visibility and reputation in the region.
The new office not only underscores ICSID's commitment to supporting the growing demand for effective dispute resolution in the Asia-Pacific region, but also aligns with Singapore's role as a leading international arbitration hub. This development is set to allow ICSID to continue advancing the quality and accessibility of investor-State dispute resolution, and fostering a robust and reliable framework for both investors and State parties in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
Samara Cassar (White & Case Associate) contributed to this publication.
1 MinLaw, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes to Establish Office in Singapore (25 August 2025).
2 ICSID, The ICSID Caseload – Statistics – Issue 2025-2 (August 2025).
3 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 2025 World Investment Report.
4 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 2025 World Investment Report.
5 Christoph Nedopil, China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Investment Report 2025 H1 (July 2025).
6 PCA, Annual Report 2024.
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