April 27, 2025 @ 5:38 pm By Michael Wong  |  

iMENA Group, a regional operator of digital platforms in the Middle East and North Africa, has raised $135 million in the first tranche of its pre-IPO funding round, backed by Sanabil Investments, FJ Labs, and several Saudi investors, including Saygin Yalcin, founder of SellAnyCar. The… Read More

April 26, 2025 @ 7:34 pm By Michael Wong  |  

London-based fintech WineFi announced raising £1.5 million (about $2 million) in a Seed funding round led by British fine wine group Coterie Holdings, with participation from SFC Capital, Founders Capital, and a syndicate of angel investors. WineFi, founded by former Fidelity International and J.P. Morgan… Read More

April 26, 2025 @ 6:33 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Syfe, an Asia Pacific savings and investment platform, said it would acquire Australian digital broker Selfwealth in an all-cash A$65 million transaction after shareholders approved the deal. Under the terms, Syfe will pay A$65 million in cash for all Selfwealth shares, subject to court approvals… Read More

April 26, 2025 @ 1:00 pm By Michael Wong  |  

NYSE-listed Fiserv Inc. has agreed to acquire Brazilian Fintech Money Money Serviços Financeiros SA in an all-cash deal that will deepen its lending capabilities for small and medium-sized merchants, the US payments major said. Under the definitive agreement, Fiserv will fold Money Money’s receivables-based financing… Read More

April 25, 2025 @ 12:46 pm By Michael Wong  |  

RockawayX, an early investor in Solana, has announced raising $125 million for its second early-stage crypto venture fund, closing the oversubscribed round in the first quarter of 2025. The global digital asset investment firm, which manages about $2 billion in assets, attributed the strong demand… Read More

April 25, 2025 @ 5:37 am By Michael Wong  |  

Binance has launched Fund Accounts, described as a “first-of-its-kind” solution on its digital asset exchange that enables fund managers to pool investor capital into omnibus accounts and streamline trading operations, according to an announcement. Fund Accounts mirror traditional finance account structures, allowing managers to consolidate… Read More

April 25, 2025 @ 4:45 am By Michael Wong  |  

Altruist, a U.S.-based custodian for registered investment advisors, announced that it raised $152 million in a Series F funding round led by Singapore sovereign investor GIC. The round also drew participation from Salesforce Ventures, Geodesic Capital, Baillie Gifford, Carson Family Office, ICONIQ Growth and other… Read More

April 25, 2025 @ 4:37 am By Michael Wong  |  

LenderLink Philippines, a fintech startup building the Philippines’ first high-tech, real-time credit bureau, raised $1.25 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round led by venture firms Iterative and Kaya Founders, the company said. The pre-seed round, the startup’s first external raise since its founding last… Read More

April 25, 2025 @ 4:34 am By Michael Wong  |  

LendMN, Mongolia’s first fully digital lending Fintech and a unit of AND Global, said it had raised $20 million in debt financing from Lendable to scale technology-driven financial services for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country. The facility marks the largest sum… Read More

April 20, 2025 @ 9:11 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Pakistan will host its first-ever Digital Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Forum in Islamabad on April 29-30, a historic initiative by the Government of Pakistan and the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO). Supported by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the two-day event aims to attract international… Read More

April 20, 2025 @ 12:16 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Zain Fintech, the financial services arm of Zain Group, launched its “Bede” Digital Wallet in Sudan, enabling customers to carry out financial transactions via mobile phones without a traditional bank account or card. The platform, designed for both basic feature and smart phones, offers services… Read More

April 20, 2025 @ 11:09 am By Michael Wong  |  

Yiren Digital Ltd, an artificial intelligence (AI)‑powered platform providing financial and lifestyle services in China, said it formed a strategic joint venture with PT Pinjaman Kemakmuran Rakyat (klikUMKM) and PT Artha Digital Investama, part of the Artha Graha Network (AG Network), to deliver AI‑driven financial… Read More

April 20, 2025 @ 6:27 am By Michael Wong  |  

Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) said it would strengthen its regulatory function by moving its public officer asset declarations online through a new On-line Assets Declaration System (OADS), aiming to deepen transparency and enforce compliance in the fight against corruption. Abdullahi Bello Usman, CCB… Read More

April 19, 2025 @ 10:49 pm By Michael Wong  |  

A newly launched research initiative is exploring the potential of voice‑based technologies to improve fraud detection in digital financial systems. The project, drawing on human‑computer interaction and user behavior modeling, investigates how speech‑driven identity verification can strengthen authentication processes while preserving a seamless user experience…. Read More

April 19, 2025 @ 3:51 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Thailand’s financial regulator has selected three consortia led by Krungthai Bank, SCB X, and Ascend Money to pioneer virtual banking services, aiming for a 2026 rollout, The Nation reported. The Bank of Thailand finalised its choice after five applicants vied for licences between March and… Read More

April 13, 2025 @ 3:37 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The National Bank of Oman (NBO) has launched a fully digital account opening feature on its mobile app, allowing users to open accounts without visiting a branch or submitting physical documents, as part of its broader shift toward mobile-first banking services. The app-based feature enables… Read More

April 13, 2025 @ 1:39 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Crypto Task Force convened its second roundtable in Washington, D.C., spotlighting the challenges and opportunities surrounding crypto trading in the United States. Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda, addressing an audience of regulators, industry representatives, and legal experts, drew… Read More

April 13, 2025 @ 12:36 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The gold reserves of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates rose 7% in January to AED24.571 billion ($6.69 billion), up from AED22.981 billion in December 2024, according to data from the central bank’s monthly statistical bulletin. The rise in gold holdings was part… Read More

April 12, 2025 @ 6:09 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the Bank of Thailand (BOT) have solidified their commitment to regional financial security by entering into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at significantly enhancing cybersecurity measures and combating the escalating threat of digital fraud. The agreement, formally executed by… Read More

April 12, 2025 @ 5:51 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Hong Kong Investment Corporation Ltd (HKIC) and fintech platform WeLab announced a strategic partnership to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI)-driven financial services, aiming to promote digital financial inclusion across Asia. The collaboration will enable WeLab to expand its exploration of AI applications, including developing innovative AI… Read More