Issue #44: What’s Happening This Week? Oct 2025 BTO Launch, Public Transport Fare Hike, and More

This week’s updates span everything from new homes to new horizons. The final BTO launch of 2025 is finally here, while public transport fares are on the move again (noooo!). Meanwhile, Pelago is pulling a surprise move and rewarding non-customers who didn't book with them. Over in finance, Trust Bank is opening up Wall Street to everyday investors, and Scoot is adding fresh getaway options across Indonesia. We also look at the rising costs of dementia care and what caregivers really need.

Whether you’re planning your next flat, flight or financial move, here’s what’s shaping the week (and months) ahead.

Psst, missed last week’s issue? View all past editions of What’s Happening This Week? to catch up.

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October 2025 BTO launch: New estates, new schemes, new chances

HDB’s Oct 2025 Build-To-Order (BTO) exercise is now open, offering 9,144 flats across 10 projects in towns such as Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bishan, Bukit Merah, Jurong East, Sengkang, Toa Payoh, and Yishun. This round includes exciting firsts—Mount Pleasant and Berlayar estates debut, alongside a Community Care Apartment (CCA) project in Sengkang for seniors.

Key highlights

• Flat types: 2-room Flexi to 3Gen units
• Starting prices (after grants):
  • 3-room from $149,000
  • 4-room from $263,000
• CCA units: From $5,000 (30-year lease, with senior-friendly features)
• New Family Care Scheme (Joint Balloting): Parents and children can apply together for flats in the same project

Apply by 22 Oct 2025, 1159 pm via the HDB Flat Portal.

Want a deep dive into which projects offer the best value or shortest waits? Read our full Oct 2025 BTO review.

ALSO READ: Buying an HDB BTO Flat in Singapore: A Step-By-Step Guide (2025)

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Public transport fares to rise by up to 10 cents from December

From 27 Dec 2025, adults will pay 9–10 cents more per ride on buses and trains, as the Public Transport Council (PTC) approves a 5% fare hike—lower than last year’s 6%.

Key changes at a glance

Support and savings

• Monthly passes for adults and seniors will drop by up to 5 per cent, easing costs for frequent commuters.
• Lower-income households will again receive $60 Public Transport Vouchers, redeemable from 29 December 2025 until 31 March 2027.
• Operators SBS Transit Rail and SMRT Trains will contribute $10.65 million to the Public Transport Fund, which supports these vouchers.

Despite cost pressures and higher energy prices, the government will inject over $200 million in subsidies next year to keep fare hikes manageable.

ALSO READ: 5 Best Credit Cards to Use on Public Transport with SimplyGo

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Pelago’s “Claim What’s Yours” campaign rewards travellers who booked elsewhere

In a twist no one saw coming, Pelago is rewarding even those who didn’t book with them. From 15 to 22 Oct 2025, travellers who made bookings elsewhere can email a screenshot of their original purchase (under $1,000, for travel after 1 Nov 2025) to [email protected] and get back what they missed—10% in savings or 8 KrisFlyer miles per dollar.

A promo code will land in your inbox by 29 Oct 2025, ready to use on your next Pelago booking.

Image: Pelago

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Trust Bank to launch trading for US stocks and ETFs

Image: Trust Bank

Trust Bank has announced a major upgrade to its TrustInvest service with the launch of a trading platform for US stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

This will make Trust the first banking app in Singapore to offer fractional trading, allowing users to buy portions of shares—making popular stocks like Netflix or Meta accessible without needing hundreds of dollars upfront.

Key points

• What’s new: Buy and sell US stocks and ETFs directly in the Trust app
• Fractional trading: Invest with smaller amounts to build a diversified portfolio
• Waitlist open: Customers can now register within the Trust app; invitations to open trading accounts will roll out in the coming weeks
• Who can join: Anyone with a Trust Savings account

According to CEO Dwaipayan Sadhu, this expansion makes investing simpler and more inclusive by bringing trading and banking together in one seamless platform.

ALSO READ: How To Start Investing With $1,000 In Singapore For Beginners

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Scoot expands in Southeast Asia with 4 new Indonesia routes

Scoot is expanding its regional network with new flights to Labuan Bajo, Medan, Palembang and Semarang, launching progressively from December 2025 to February 2026.

Flight details

The move strengthens Scoot’s presence in Indonesia, bringing its total network there to 15 cities and over 120 weekly flights by February 2026. Scoot will also increase flights to popular destinations such as Bangkok, Bali, Penang and Yogyakarta to meet strong travel demand.

Bookings are now open on the Scoot app and website.

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Pureprofile study: Dementia care costs $24,000 a year even after subsidies

A new study by Pureprofile, commissioned by Dementia Singapore, reveals that caring for someone with dementia costs families a median of $24,000 a year after government subsidies—equivalent to about $2,020 a month out of pocket.

Key findings

• Subsidies help but costs remain high: Government schemes reduce expenses by around 36%, cutting monthly direct costs from $1,290 to $447.50.
• Main cost drivers:
  • Lost or reduced income (~$2,000/month)
  • Foreign domestic worker levy and support (~$700/month)
  • Professional or respite care (~$575/month)
• Indirect costs: Caregivers spend about nine days a month providing care, valued at roughly $1,219 monthly.
• Rising costs with severity: Care expenses climb 33% from mild to moderate stages, reaching $4,081/month for severe cases before subsidies.

Despite this, 89% of caregivers say more support is needed. Many juggle caregiving with work—65% report employment disruptions.

Dementia Singapore hopes these findings will drive more discussion and policy action to ease the growing financial and emotional strain on caregivers.

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That’s it for this week! Stay tuned for next week’s What’s Happening This Week to keep up with the latest in finance, business, and beyond. 

This article was first drafted with the help of AI and later reviewed and refined by the author.