SINGAPORE Law and Practice Contributed by: Chou Sean Yu, Wendy Lin, Monica Chong Wan Yee and Frank Oh Sheng Loong, WongPartnership LLP
WongPartnership LLP 12 Marina Boulevard Level 28 Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3 Singapore 018982 Tel: +65 64168 000 Fax: +65 6532 5711/5722 Email: contactus@wongpartnership.com Web: www.wongpartnership.com
1. General 1.1 Prevalence of Arbitration
tion of Singapore as a neutral forum and the support of the Singapore courts towards the arbitration process, with an emphasis on minimal judicial intervention and party autonomy as well as upholding confidentiality in arbitration. 1.2 Key Industries Based on the SIAC’s 2025 Annual Report, in 2025, parties filed claims before the SIAC across a wide range of sectors, including: • trade (39%); • commercial (20%); • corporate (10%); • maritime/shipping (10%); and • construction/infrastructure/engineering (9%). The substantial portion of cases dealing with trade and commercial matters might be attributable to trade being a substantial pillar of Singapore’s economy. It is also worth highlighting that, based on recent cas - es involving setting-aside proceedings heard before the Singapore courts, there appears to be an increas - ing trend in investor-State arbitrations that are seated in Singapore (with recent notable examples including DNZ v DOA [2026] SGHC(I) 1 and Republic of Korea v Mason Capital LP and Another [2025] 4 SLR 308). This is likely driven by Singapore’s reputation as a neutral seat, and that of the Singapore judiciary for its efficiency, integrity and ability to grapple with complex issues of investment treaty law.
Arbitration and litigation are both popular modes of dispute resolution used by domestic parties. Other modes of alternative dispute resolution (including mediation) are also increasing in importance. International arbitration is a prevalent method of dis - pute resolution in Singapore, and its use continues to increase. In 2025, the Singapore International Arbitra - tion Centre (SIAC) registered its second highest annu - al case load of 886 cases with a total sum in dispute of approximately USD14.53 billion, compared to 479 new cases with a total sum in dispute of approximately USD8.09 billion in 2019. Parties from 79 jurisdictions engaged the SIAC’s services in 2025, compared to the 65 jurisdictions that were represented in the SIAC in 2022, reinforcing the SIAC’s growing international footprint. Notably, based on the 2025 International Arbitration Survey conducted by White & Case and Queen Mary University of London, Singapore ranks as the second most preferred seat for arbitration in the world (behind only London), and the SIAC’s Arbitration Rules are the third most preferred set of arbitration rules in the world (only behind the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre). The prevalence of international arbitration in Singa - pore is driven by various factors, including the percep -
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