a lot of reits list in singapore because DPU is tax free if payout more than 90% of earnings
while singapore stock dividend is also tax free, the earnings is taxable
in order to encourage more good companies to list in singapore, there must be tax incentive or soon sgx can close shop liao
the problem was never about the amount of brokerage, it is the liquidity of the market that attract traders
i rather sgx has 100 stocks listed with high liquidity than have 800 stocks listed with no liquidity
now most of the stock listed is reits which people buy and keep hence low liquidity
hence sgx must use tax incentive to attract global listing to develop singapore as a trading hub
i propose a 50% cut in corporate tax for 5 years for global mncs that list their singapore subsidiary on sgx with a market cap of at least S$1b subject to review on trading liquidity on extension of tax incentive every 5 years