On 21 October 2019, through their handheld devices, shareholders from both sides gave their blessings to the marriage between Ascott Residence Trust (Ascott) and Ascendas Hospitality Trust (A-HTrust).
With combined assets of S$7.6 billion, the new entity – Ascott REIT Business Trust (Ascott REIT-BT) (SGX: A68U) — will form the largest hospitality trust in Asia Pacific and the eighth largest in the world. Ascott REIT-BT will be structured as a stapled security: a real estate investment trust and a business trust joined together. The news of the merger came on 3 July 2019 shortly after CapitaLand completed the acquisition of Ascendas-Singbridge on 1 July 2019.