Michael Wong

Digital Banking: Jordan Ahli Bank Beefs Up Open Banking Readiness

Jordan Ahli Bank, a Jordanian financial institution with over six decades of banking experience, has announced its full compliance with the country’s Open Banking and Open Finance regulations. The bank said it has partnered with Open Banking and financial innovation firm Fintech Galaxy to boost… Read More

Ant International, Grab, and StraitsX Explore PBM for Cross-Border Payments

Ant International, Grab, and StraitsX have announced a collaborative effort to explore the potential application of Purpose Bound Money (PBM) in cross-border payments. PBM is a protocol that specifies the conditions upon which an underlying digital currency can be used and first introduced by MAS… Read More

Fintech: Singapore and Malaysia Launch Cross-Border Payment Linkage

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) have jointly introduced a real-time payment systems linkage connecting Singapore’s PayNow and Malaysia’s DuitNow. This initiative builds upon the earlier QR payment linkage announced on March 31, 2023, facilitating cross-border QR payments to merchants…. Read More

Hong Kong: Digital Asset and Fintech-Focused Firm BC Group Secures $91 Million from BGX

Hong Kong City

BC Technology Group, the digital asset and fintech-focused parent of digital asset platform OSL, has announced raising approximately HK$710 million from crypto group BGX. The deal, which still requires the approval of BC Group’s shareholders, will give BGX a 30% stake in the company. OSL… Read More

Fintech: Dutch Payment Processing Firm Silverflow Secures $16.4m in Global Paytech-led Round

Silverflow, a could-based payments processing startup, announced raising €15 million ($16.4 million) in a funding round anchored by industry veterans and payments experts at Global Paytech Ventures. The round was also backed by Picus Capital, Coatue, Crane Venture Partners, Inkef, and several angel investors, with… Read More

Binance Labs Backs Web3 Social Network Platform Sleek’s $5m Funding

Binance Labs, the venture capital and incubation arm of Binance, has backed the $5-million Seed funding round of Web3 social network platform Sleek, according to an announcement. The funding round, which also saw participation from notable investors, including Shima Capital, Spartan Group, Symbolic Capital, Market… Read More

India: Fintech Lending to Surpass Traditional Banking by 2030, CAFRAL Says

Fintech lending is expected to surpass traditional banking by 2030, according to a recent report by the Centre for Advanced Financial Research and Learning (CAFRAL). The forecast by CAFRAL, an independent body established by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 2011, underscores the profound… Read More

European Crowdfunding Platforms Merge in Response to New Regulations

Several European crowdfunding platforms are joining forces to create what they call an alternative finance “super-platform” in response to the latest European crowdfunding regulations. Kapitaal op Maat (KoM), Max Crowdfund (MCF), and Capital Circle (CaCi) have announced plans to merge, creating a larger platform with… Read More

Arab Financial Services, Belgian Delegation Forge Path for Fintech Collaboration in Bahrain

Arab Financial Services (AFS), a digital payment solutions provider in the Middle East and Africa, recently hosted a high-level economic delegation from Brussels and discussed potential partnerships within the fintech and financial services sector, highlighting a significant move towards international collaboration in this rapidly evolving… Read More

Hong Kong: Fintech Innovation Boost in GBA with New Tripartite Deal

A landmark agreement has been reached between the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the People’s Bank of China (PBoC), and the Monetary Authority of Macao (AMCM), promising to revolutionize fintech cooperation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The “Memorandum of Understanding on Deepening… Read More

Singapore: Fintech Startup BondbloX Raises $6 Million in Series B Funding

BonEvalue Pte Ltd (BondbloX), a Singapore-based fintech startup that provides easy access to bonds for investors, has secured $6 million in a Series B round. The funding round was backed by Beacon Venture Capital, the corporate venture arm of Thailand’s Kasikornbank. Existing shareholders MassMutual Ventures… Read More

Swiss Crypto Bank SEBA Secures Hong Kong License

SEBA Bank, a digital assets bank regulated in Switzerland, has announced that its subsidiary has been granted a license by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in Hong Kong. The development marks the first regulated foray of the SEBA Group into the Asia Pacific market,… Read More

48 Countries Commit to OECD’s Global Crypo Assets Tax Transparency

Forty-eight countries and jurisdictions have pledged to adopt the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development‘s (OECD) framework for tax transparency and information exchange regarding crypto assets by 2027. This commitment marks a significant stride in international efforts to address tax evasion in the rapidly evolving… Read More

Philippines: SEC Empowers Crowdfunding Platforms as Official Registrars

The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) now allows crowdfunding platforms to register as official gatekeepers of qualified institutional and individual investors, a move that forms part of the government’s efforts to bolster the capital market. This development stems from the SEC’s latest issuance, Memorandum… Read More

Vietnamese Consumers Prefer Digital Banking, Modern Payment Methods

A recent study conducted by the United Overseas Bank (OUB) suggests that Vietnamese consumers are increasingly turning to digital banking and modern payment methods, with convenience and speed as among the major factors cited for the preference. The report, “ASEAN Consumer Sentiment Study”, indicates a significant… Read More

Dubai Approves XRP as Crypto Token Under Virtual Assets Regime

Digital asset XRP has been granted approval by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) for utilization within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), marking a significant endorsement for cryptocurrency usage in financial services in Dubai, according to Ripple. As the first virtual asset sanctioned by… Read More

Hong Kong and Thailand to Launch Cross-Border Digital Payment Systems

Hong Kong and Thailand aims to revolutionize the way travelers handle currency exchange with the launch of interoperable digital payment systems. From December 4, residents from both regions will be able to make transactions using their local digital payment platforms, thanks to a landmark agreement… Read More

Global Bitcoin ETF Assets Hit $4.16bn Mark: Report

Global assets in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking the spot price of Bitcoin have reached a staggering $4.16 billion, according to the latest data from CoinGecko. This growing interest highlights the increasing mainstream acceptance of Bitcoin as an investment asset. Canadian investors have taken a particular… Read More

Italy: Banking, Financial Services Software Provider TAS names Fabio Benasso New President

TAS, an Italian banking and financial services software provider, has announced the appointment of Fabio Benasso, a long-standing Accenture executive, as its new group president. The decision came following a recent meeting of the Board of Directors, marking a new chapter in the company’s pursuit… Read More

Fintech: Dubai Launches $136m VC Fund for Financial Technology Startups

The Dubai Integrated Economic Zone (DIEZ) has announced the official launch of Oraseya Capital, a venture capital fund that will invest in financial technology (fintech) startups in the gulf nation. This strategic initiative, announced during the Dubai Business Forum, aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda… Read More

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