Michael Wong

Berlin Automation, AI Startup n8n Secures $180m in Series C Funding

Berlin-based automation and AI orchestration startup n8n has raised $180 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its total funding to $240 million and valuing the company at $2.5 billion, according to a company announcement. The round was led by Accel with participation from… Read More

Qantas Says 5.7m-Customer Data Set Posted Online After Third-Party Breach

Qantas said data belonging to 5.7 million customers stolen in a major cyberattack has been shared online, widening the fallout from a campaign tied to a third-party platform used by dozens of global companies. The airline reiterated that the compromise originated at a provider later… Read More

Banglalink, VEON Express Interest in Bangladesh Digital Bank Licence

Banglalink and its sole shareholder VEON have written to Bangladesh Bank expressing interest in securing a digital bank licence, the companies said in an expression-of-interest (EoI) sent to Governor Ahsan H Mansur, according to people familiar with the matter. The approach follows earlier discussions with… Read More

Hong Kong Posts Provisional Schedule for Institutional Bond Issuance

Hong Kong City

Hong Kong’s de facto central bank published a tentative six-month issuance schedule for institutional government bonds under its Infrastructure Bond Programme and Government Sustainable Bond Programme, outlining planned offerings in both Hong Kong dollars and offshore yuan via competitive tenders from October 2025 to March… Read More

Moomoo to Integrate Fireblocks Wallets to Expand Crypto Services in Singapore

Fireblocks said that Moomoo will integrate its Wallets-as-a-Service (WaaS) infrastructure to expand and secure the trading platform’s digital-asset offerings, in a move aimed at boosting scalability, reliability and security across Moomoo’s operations. The integration, targeted for completion by end-2025, will connect Moomoo Singapore to the… Read More

YY Group to Integrate Obita’s Stablecoin Rails to Speed Cross-Border Payouts, Cut Costs

Singapore-based YY Group Holding Limited said it will integrate enterprise-grade stablecoin payment infrastructure from Obita to power cross-border receivables, payables and treasury operations across its global gig-work platforms, under a memorandum of understanding. YY Group, a workforce solutions and integrated facilities management provider, said the… Read More

Gulf Bank Signs Training Pact with Kuwait’s Institute of Banking Studies for Islamic Transition

Gulf Bank said it signed a partnership with the Institute of Banking Studies to deliver specialised training as the lender prepares to convert into a Sharia-compliant institution, after preliminary approval from the Central Bank of Kuwait in August. The agreement was signed by Bader Al-Ali,… Read More

Binance Says Thailand Has Ingredients to Become Asia-Pacific Crypto Hub

Thailand has the ingredients to develop into a regional centre for digital assets, according to Binance, which cited regulatory clarity, relatively high public awareness and supportive macroeconomic conditions as the key pillars for growth. S. B. Seker, the exchange’s newly appointed Asia-Pacific head, told local… Read More

IMF Says UAE’s Digital Dirham Rollout, Stablecoin Rules Bolster Growth

The United Arab Emirates’ drive to modernise its monetary system, including the rollout of a Digital Dirham and new rules for stablecoins, is improving policy transmission and supporting financial resilience, the International Monetary Fund said at the end of its 2025 Article IV mission. “Enhancements… Read More

Sriwijaya Capital, BlueFive Capital Sign MoU to Build Gulf–ASEAN Investment Corridor

Indonesia-based private equity firm Sriwijaya Capital has signed a memorandum of understanding with Abu Dhabi’s BlueFive Capital to form a strategic alliance aimed at channeling more Gulf capital into Southeast Asia and expanding access for ASEAN investors to Middle Eastern opportunities, the firms stated. The… Read More

Singapore’s FX Turnover Jumps 60% to $1.49tr, Cements No. 3 Global Ranking — MAS

Singapore strengthened its position as the world’s third-largest foreign exchange trading hub, with average daily turnover rising 60% to $1.485 trillion in April 2025 from April 2022, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said, citing results of the Bank for International Settlements’ 2025 Triennial Central… Read More

Acuity Knowledge Partners Buys UK-Based Ascent to Broaden AI, Sector Reach

Acuity Knowledge Partners, a London-based provider of bespoke research, data management, analytics and AI solutions to financial institutions, has acquired Ascent, a UK company whose software supports AI-driven digital transformation. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Acuity said the transaction will lift its global… Read More

Singapore Sees Spike in Investment-Linked Policy Disputes in 2024

Singapore’s financial regulator said disputes over investment-linked policies (ILPs) more than doubled in 2024, prompting new consumer protection measures as the city-state seeks to strengthen oversight of complex financial products. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said 211 ILP-related cases were handled by the Financial… Read More

WeLab Partners with Google to Scale AI-Driven Financial Services Across Asia

Hong Kong-based fintech platform WeLab announced an artificial intelligence partnership with Google to accelerate digital banking across Asia Pacific, as the company targets serving 500 million users by 2032 with AI-powered financial services. The collaboration will see WeLab leverage Google’s advanced AI models and cloud… Read More

Kuwait Extends Stock Market Trading Hours, Revises Auction Rules to Boost Liquidity

Kuwait’s stock exchange extended its trading hours by 30 minutes starting Sunday as the Gulf state seeks to enhance liquidity and align with global markets to attract more international investors. Boursa Kuwait now operates continuous trading from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., compared to the… Read More

UAE and Chad Seek Closer Financial Sector Ties in High-Level Talks in Dubai

The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Chad are looking to deepen cooperation in the financial sector following a high-level bilateral meeting in Dubai aimed at enhancing institutional partnerships and expanding economic collaboration. UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs Mohamed bin Hadi Al… Read More

Singapore Fintech Funding Rebounds to $1bn in H1 2025: Report

Singapore’s fintech sector attracted nearly $1.04 billion in the first half of 2025, rebounding strongly after a muted 2024, with investors pouring money into payments, cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence-driven platforms, according to a KPMG report. The funding, spread across 90 deals, marked the highest level… Read More

Singapore Sets KPIs for Fund Managers under S$5bn Equity Market Programme

Singapore will evaluate fund managers appointed under its S$5 billion ($3.65 billion) Equity Market Development Programme (EQDP) over at least three years, with key performance indicators (KPIs) including investment returns, mobilising third-party capital and contributions to the city-state’s market ecosystem, a senior minister said on… Read More

Hong Kong Unveils Roadmap To Build Global Fixed Income and Currency Hub

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) set out a detailed roadmap to strengthen the city’s fixed income and currency (FIC) markets, part of a broader push to reinforce its role as a global financial centre and deepen its… Read More

Philippines’ Central Bank Halts New Digital Bank License Applications from December

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines, said it will stop accepting new applications for digital bank licenses from Dec. 1, as the regulator moves to tighten oversight of the fast-growing sector and safeguard financial stability. The suspension follows the… Read More

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