IN THIS ISSUE -

Alongside the usual challenges of rising and falling values inherent in any family-owned asset, cryptocurrency, which is kept in key-protected digital wallets, is prone to getting lost or disappearing with the death of its owner. The intangibility of cryptocurrency is not the only challenge to ensuring the successful inheritance of family wealth. Trustees can make mistakes, and assets held overseas can often be difficult to access. Practical steps can, and should, be taken to prevent the loss of an inheritance, including a digital one. Of course, even if all the safeguards are in place, disputes can still arise, and there are a number of ways in which these can be tackled.

The investment landscape is always changing, but parallel developments in the United States and China are particularly noteworthy. China is simplifying opportunities for investment in its pharmaceutical sector, while the United States is applying additional regulatory hurdles to foreign investments into US biotech in line with a global trend of protectionism.