Wealthy Chinese Emigrants Pivot Away from US – “Even Russia” Now on Their Radar

Moustafa Daly
Cairo

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US ‘bullying’ turning off Chinese emigrants as other countries gain favor, says Henry Fan.

Geopolitical shifts are shaping new trends in the residency and citizenship-by-investment (RCBI) industry. The Trump administration’s forthcoming Gold Card could set off a wave of competition for wealthy migrants, while Chinese investors are increasingly exploring a wider range of destinations beyond the United States.

At IMI Connect Athens, Henry Fan, CEO of Globevisa Group, one of the world’s biggest RCBI firms, discussed the potential of the Gold Card, and the rapidly changing aspirations of Chinese emigrants.

Chinese emigrants abandon the American Dream

Fan said that, for decades, Chinese investors and families viewed the United States as a “fantasy destination,“ drawn by its promise of opportunity, education, and security.

But a cultural shift might be brewing as escalating trade tensions and US actions that many Chinese perceive as “bullying“ are eroding its appeal.

Many are now seeking friendlier destinations such as “Singapore, Portugal, Italy, Canada, New Zealand, and even Russia.”

Anti-globalist attitudes “might help”

Fan attested to the great “potential” of the Trump Gold Card, a $5 million residency-by-donation program with a short path to citizenship, but cautioned that its success hinges on the inclusion of tax incentives.

He estimated that his firm alone could assist “100 to 200” applicants annually if the program includes tax exemptions on income generated abroad, which Trump said it would. Without such incentives, he said the number could shrink to “as low as 20 or 30.”

Fan predicted that the launch of the Gold Card could catalyze fast growth in the industry. “If the US can do it, why can’t we?” he asked, suggesting that the Gold Card could push other countries to launch similar high-value programs.

He also argued that “anti-globalization attitudes,” like those of the Trump administration, “might help [the investment migration] industry,” indicating that higher barriers to trade and mobility would drive more affluent individuals to seek foreign residencies.

In the long term, Fan predicts a global shift from traditional CBI programs toward more flexible residence options. He expects demand will increasingly focus on residency programs “for entrepreneurs, startups, and talents – that’s the future.”