Asia is entering the longevity era. How can we rethink wealth in a 100-year life?

Across Asia, populations are ageing at a pace the world has never seen. Countries like Japan, the Republic of Korea and China have progressed from ageing to aged societies in just a few decades – a shift that took Europe half a century.

By 2050, more than one in four Asians will be 60 or older. In China alone, the number of people aged 60 and above will exceed 400 million by 2035, accounting for more than 30% of the national population. Japan is already the world’s oldest nation, and Korea is ageing among the fastest globally, while the Philippines, Indonesia and India remain among the youngest nations in the region. Asia has become a mosaic of contrasting demographic realties and a real-time testbed for how societies can adapt to longer lives.

For countries across Asia that have already entered an aged-society stage, this demographic shift brings profound implications for how people are supported through longer lifespans. This is particularly true for China.

On the financial side, China has established a three-pillar pension system; however, it remains heavily reliant on the first public pillar, which covers more than 1.07 billion contributors and beneficiaries. By contrast, the second pillar (enterprise annuities) and the third pillar (personal pension plans) together account for only 2.4% of GDP – far below the OECD average of nearly 50%. On the health side, chronic diseases make up over 70% of the national disease burden and 88.5% of all deaths, placing significant strain on healthcare and long-term care systems. Taken together, these pressures raise a broader question for societies across Asia: What will a 100-year life mean for people as they enter a new longevity era?

A 100-year life is becoming the new normal, reshaping how people think about money. Longer retirements, smaller families and rising economic insecurity are making traditional support systems less reliable. Yet many pension models in Asia still depend heavily on government payouts, which will be difficult to sustain in the long run.

In China, for example, a three-pillar pension system has been introduced, but its development remains uneven. The public pillar bears most of the burden, while enterprise annuities and individual plans are still modest in scale and coverage, leaving substantial room for expansion.

To imagine a fulfilling life after retirement, financial stability is the key to make every dream a reality. This is where the idea of “becoming your own CFO” resonates. Just as a CFO manages risk and plans strategically, individuals must take a more active role in building financial resilience – preparing for expected and unexpected life events to avoid financial hardship as much as possible.

As longevity planning becomes a continuous process shaped by health, family and personal aspirations, wealth planning is no longer just about retirement – it is becoming a blueprint for the decades ahead.

A strong longevity strategy requires greater diversification. Savings alone cannot reliably carry the weight of extended lifespans – particularly in Asia, where financial literacy remains low, retirement preparedness is limited, and older adults continue to depend heavily on household savings and family support.

Instead, people will need a more balanced portfolio that draws on deposits and long-term savings for stability, market-based investments for growth, and risk-pooling instruments such as life insurance, health coverage and annuities to prepare for unpredictable future needs. As traditional caregiving models come under strain, financial products designed for longevity – including long-term care coverage – will become increasingly essential.

If financial resilience offers stability, health is what turns longevity into a joyful experience. Yet ageing populations are placing growing pressure on health systems. In China, people over 60 already account for nearly 70% of medical spending, and chronic diseases comprise more than 70% of national healthcare spending – a cost set to rise.

This underscores the need to shift from treatment to prevention. A longevity society requires systems where regular screening, risk assessment and personalized advice become routine. Digital health platforms, AI-powered analytics and remote monitoring are beginning to make this possible by connecting fragmented data and offering tailored insights.

Equally important is a cultural shift toward personal responsibility for health. While healthcare systems play a central role, daily behaviours – diet, activity, sleep and stress management – shape how well we age. Empowering individuals to take charge of their wellbeing will be essential to ensuring longer lives become healthier lives.

A longevity-ready ecosystem must also extend beyond hospitals. Community-based care, age-friendly public spaces, accessible screening centres and adaptive health services will be essential. As populations age unevenly across the region, locally relevant, culturally grounded models of care will be increasingly valuable.

A 100-year life transforms not only financial and health systems but also the social fabric. Older adults must have opportunities to participate, contribute and find purpose.

Employment models will need to evolve. Extending working lives through flexible retirement pathways, reskilling and lifelong learning can sustain productivity and improve wellbeing. Many older adults want to continue contributing but face barriers such as outdated workplace norms and limited opportunities.

Loneliness and mental health risks are rising across ageing societies and addressing them requires more than clinical intervention. It calls for communities, intergenerational spaces and environments designed to foster connection – from age-friendly public spaces to digital platforms that help people stay socially and economically engaged. As cities adapt their transport, housing and service systems, and as technology enables greater access and participation, societies that value the experience and insight older adults bring — and create meaningful avenues for engagement — will be the ones that thrive.

Purposeful ageing reframes longevity. It moves the narrative from “how long we live” to “how well we live, and how connected we remain.” In this sense, the true success of a 100-year society lies not only in extending lifespan but in extending dignity, contribution and meaning.

Asia is entering the longevity era earlier and faster than most of the world. This creates significant challenges: financial pressures, rising healthcare demand and expectations for more inclusive social systems. Yet it also offers a rare opportunity to pioneer new models of ageing that reflect the region’s cultural diversity and dynamic economies.

Building a 100-year society requires a whole-system approach. It demands financial structures that can withstand longer lifespans, healthcare systems that prioritize prevention, and communities that enable people of every age to contribute. It means seeing ageing not only as a cost but as a new form of dividend – one that can unlock human potential across decades of life once unimaginable.