(March 17): Nasdaq-listed Chinese online broker Futu Holdings Ltd is aiming to tap a retail investor trading boom in Southeast Asia with Singapore as a home base to expand in the region.

The Tencent Holdings Ltd-backed company opened an office in Singapore last week, a market seen as a key driver of its international expansion alongside the US, Gavin Chia, director for Futu Singapore Pte Ltd said in a recent interview. It’s currently looking at Malaysia and Thailand to expand, he said.