Asean 3 Multi Currency Bond Issuance Framework

The ASEAN+3 Multi-Currency Bond Issuance Framework (AMBIF) is a policy initiative of the Asian Bond Markets Initiative to create a nexus among domestic professional local currency bond markets in the region by facilitating intra-regional transactions through standardized bond and note issuance and investment processes. This report follows up on the proposal described in the Phase 2 Report of the ASEAN+3 Bond Market Forum (Sub-Forum 1), published in April 2014, to provide procedures on how to implement AMBIF in the region. AMBIF is expected to facilitate intra-regional bond and note issuance and investment by creating common market practices; utilizing a common document for submission, the Single Submission Form; and highlighting transparent issuance procedures as documented in the Implementation Guidelines for each participating market. The report also contains a set of Frequently Asked Questions to provide interested parties, including issuers in the region, with an easy reference for their potential queries and concerns on the implementation of AMBIF.

These guidelines explain how the ASEAN+3 Multi-Currency Bond Issuance Framework (AMBIF) relates to the professional Cambodian bond market. The guidelines highlight market characteristics that are significant for issuers and investors, and review the regulatory processes required for issuing different types of debt securities. The guidelines are an output of the ASEAN+3 Bond Market Forum and were developed to enable bond issuers and their service providers to pursue further issuances under AMBIF with greater ease and certainty.

These guidelines explain the ASEAN+3 Multi-Currency Bond Issuance Framework (AMBIF) and relate AMBIF Elements to the corresponding features of the professional Philippines bond market. The guidelines highlight market characteristics that are significant for issuers and investors and reviews the regulatory processes required for issuing different types of debt securities. The guidelines are an output of the ASEAN+3 Bond Market Forum and were developed to enable bond issuers and their service providers to pursue further issuances under AMBIF with greater ease and certainty.

The Asian Development Bank and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the People's Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ASEAN+3) are looking to explore options to promote green local currency-denominated bonds to meet the region's infrastructure development needs. Green bonds---supported within the ASEAN+3 framework---would help meet the long-term financing of the region especially in its transition to a low-carbon region. This publication highlights an assessment study of green bond markets in ASEAN+3, identifies the barriers to green bond market development, and proposes recommendations to scale up green bond markets for infrastructure development in ASEAN+3.

These guidelines explain the ASEAN+3 Multi-Currency Bond Issuance Framework (AMBIF) and relate AMBIF Elements to the corresponding features of the professional Philippines bond market. The guidelines highlight market characteristics that are significant for issuers and investors and review the regulatory processes required for issuing different types of debt securities. The guidelines are an output of the ASEAN+3 Bond Market Forum and were developed to enable bond issuers and their service providers to pursue further issuances under AMBIF with greater ease and certainty.

This report provides an update on the local currency sustainable bond markets in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ASEAN+3). Historically, green bonds have dominated the sustainable debt market in ASEAN+3, but the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has spawned the next generation of social- and sustainability-labeled instruments to fund a broader range of environmental and social benefits. This report provides a comprehensive summary of regional developments, identifies existing obstacles and challenges, highlights green investment opportunities in key sectors, and offers practical recommendations to further develop sustainable local currency bond markets in ASEAN+3.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is working closely with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the People's Republic of China (PRC), Japan, and the Republic of Korea---collectively known as ASEAN+3---to develop local currency bond markets and facilitate regional bond market integration under the Asian Bond Markets Initiative (ABMI). ABMI was launched in 2002 to strengthen the resilience of the region's financial system by developing local currency bond markets as an alternative source to foreign currency-denominated, short-term bank loans for long-term investment financing. The need for infrastructure investment among ASEAN+3 members is well documented, with estimates for needed investment through 2020 reaching as high as $550 billion. Local currency financing of infrastructure projects has the important advantage of avoiding the currency risk that can arise when a project generating revenues in the domestic currency has foreign currency-denominated debt service requirements. This study was undertaken under ABMI and funded by the Government of the PRC. It addresses two key questions: (i) Why is local currency bond financing not more widely used for infrastructure projects in ASEAN+3? and (ii) What can be done to promote infrastructure bond financing?