The Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect, which provides offshore investors with direct access to the Shanghai stock exchange, has attracted fervent support from many global asset management companies that are gearing up to take advantage of it. But Asia is witnessing a flurry of such trading links, many of which are not likely to win the same interest.

Launched in November last year, the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect should be followed before the end of 2015 by a similar link between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China’s second largest stock exchange, which will provide foreign investors with access to many of China’s small and medium-sized enterprises and technology stocks. A future trading exchange to allow foreign access to China’s onshore bond market has also been touted.

Other Asian exchanges are following suit. The Singapore and Taiwan exchanges are working on a similar programme to be launched in July. The Taiwan stock exchange says it is discussing a similar move with Japan.