AI Strategy & Vision · 2026-03-13 · 01:00
#SGBudget2026: supporting local enterprises
In Brief
Three enterprise support measures in Budget 2026: a 40% corporate tax rebate, an enhanced MRA internationalisation grant, and support for enterprise AI adoption via the Champions of AI programme together with EIS and PSG.
Why it matters Singapore has named its AI adoption plan "Champions of AI" for the first time, directly incorporating it into regular EIS and PSG subsidies rather than establishing a new dedicated fund, highlighting that AI policy has shifted toward fiscal leverage rather than strategic announcements
Key Takeaways
- A 40% corporate income tax rebate applies to active companies for Year of Assessment 2026.
- The Market Readiness Assistance grant is enhanced to support both new market expansion and existing market deepening.
- The Anchor Fund gets a S$1.5 billion top-up; the Financial Sector Development Fund adds S$5 billion for the equity market.
- A new Champions of AI programme works alongside the enhanced EIS and PSG to push enterprise AI adoption.
Summary
Budget 2026 outlines three lines of support for local enterprises. On costs, all active companies receive a 40% corporate income tax rebate for Year of Assessment 2026. On internationalisation, the Market Readiness Assistance grant is enhanced to help firms both expand into new markets and deepen their presence in existing ones. The Anchor Fund receives a S$1.5 billion top-up to back public listings of high-growth Singapore companies, and the Financial Sector Development Fund adds S$5 billion to expand the equity market development programme.
On AI, a new Champions of AI programme will help businesses apply AI to transformation and workforce training. The enhanced Enterprise Innovation Scheme will recognise AI expenditure as a qualifying activity, and the Productivity Solutions Grant will be strengthened to support AI-enabled solutions.
Full transcript
Caption language: en · Fetched: 2026-05-02
Budget 2026 will help firms manage costs [music] and stay competitive. Active companies will receive a 40% corporate income tax rebate for the [music] year of assessment 2026 to help with cost pressures and operating challenges. Local companies will receive more support to internationalize. [music] We will increase grant support for companies of all sizes to [music] expand overseas to new markets. We will also enhance the market readiness assistance grant to support companies to deepen their presence [music] in their existing markets. An additional $1. 5 billion will be injected [music] into the Anker fund to support the public listings of high growth companies in Singapore. The financial sector development fund will also receive a $ 1.
5 billion topup to expand the equity market development [music] program and strengthen our equities market. To accelerate AI [music] adoption, a new champions of AI program will be launched to help businesses leverage AI for enterprise transformation and workforce [music] training. Companies can tap on the enhanced enterprise innovation scheme which will include AI expenditures as a qualifying [music] activity. Existing support schemes like the productivity solutions grant will also be strengthened to help companies adopt AI enabled solutions.
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