Singapore: SIAC Rules 2025 (7th Edition) - steps to further strengthen institutional arbitration

As part of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre’s (“SIAC’s”) continued efforts to evolve and improve efficiency and procedural fairness, the SIAC has revamped its arbitration rules and the 7th Edition of the Arbitration Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (the “2025 Rules”) have taken effect on 1 January 2025.

The 2025 Rules contain many refinements and tweaks to the previous 2016 edition (the “2016 Rules”). The SIAC states that the 2025 Rules have been developed and further refined based on its experience of administering more than 3,000 cases involving more than 100 jurisdictions under the 2016 Rules. Therefore, based on its experience, the SIAC seems to have focussed on providing users with a wider range of mechanisms to tailor arbitrations for greater effectiveness. 

We highlight some of the key changes introduced in the 2025 Rules below.

New Streamlined Procedure (Rule 13 read with Schedule 2)

The 2025 Rules introduces a new Streamlined Procedure which aims to allow parties to resolve low value disputes with greater efficiency. The Streamlined Procedure will apply where:

(a) The parties have agreed that the Streamlined Procedure shall apply prior to the constitution of the tribunal; or

(b) The amount in dispute does not exceed the equivalent of SGD 1 million, unless the President of the SIAC determines upon application of a party that the Streamlined Procedure shall not apply.

Its key features are:

(a) The arbitration will be conducted by a sole arbitrator, who must issue the award within 3 months of appointment. 

(b) Unless the tribunal determines otherwise, the arbitration will be decided on the basis of written submissions and documentary evidence only and will exclude the provision for requests for document production or the filing of factual or expert witness…