April 12, 2025 @ 11:13 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), and The Hong Kong Association of Banks (HKAB) jointly announced a series of measures aimed at enhancing the prevention and detection of financial crime, including fraud and money laundering. Authorities are responding to a… Read More

April 7, 2025 @ 9:59 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released statistics for the second quarter of 2024 on stored value facility (SVF) schemes, showing continued growth in both usage and transaction value. By the end of Q2 2024, the total number of SVF accounts in use reached 75.36… Read More

April 6, 2025 @ 8:24 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The United Arab Emirates has issued a new decision revising the tax treatment of investment funds and limited partnerships as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance the country’s investment climate and align with global best practices, the Ministry of Finance said. Cabinet Decision No…. Read More

April 6, 2025 @ 5:17 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Israeli trading platform eToro has put its initial public offering (IPO) plans on hold due to market uncertainty linked to the trade war started by US President Donald Trump, US news website Axios reports. The Yoni Assia-led company had been scheduled to begin investor meetings… Read More

April 5, 2025 @ 6:37 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry will present two draft laws — the Royal Decree on Digital Assets and the Royal Decree on Cybercrime Prevention and Suppression — for Cabinet approval on April 8, with expectations that the laws could come into force before… Read More

April 5, 2025 @ 2:35 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace X2Y2 will shut down its trading platform on April 30, 2025, ending a three-year run amid declining volumes and intensifying competition in the digital collectibles market. The platform’s front-end interface will go offline, though its smart contracts will remain active, allowing… Read More

April 5, 2025 @ 1:37 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is providing a $42 million equivalent debt financing package to Agricover Credit IFN, Romania’s largest non-bank financial institution focused on agriculture, to improve access to funding for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)… Read More

March 30, 2025 @ 10:20 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has launched a public consultation on a proposed regulatory framework to expand retail investors’ access to private market investment funds, the central bank said. Under the current regulations, retail investors in Singapore have limited opportunities to invest in private… Read More

March 30, 2025 @ 10:12 pm By Michael Wong  |  

South Korea’s cryptocurrency market continues to grow, with the number of virtual asset investors surpassing 16 million, nearing the total number of stock investors in the country, news agency Yonhap reported. Data submitted to Rep. Cha Gyu-geun of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party indicated… Read More

March 30, 2025 @ 9:16 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry has selected seven Equity Crowdfunding (ECF) and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) financing platforms to participate in the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP2030) Strategic Co-Investment Fund (CoSIF), according to local reports. The program aims to support companies in high-tech and high-impact… Read More

March 30, 2025 @ 7:47 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Hong Kong Academy of Finance (AoF) announced the selection of 23 senior executives for its Financial Leaders Programme (FLP) 2025, underscoring its commitment to developing future financial leaders within the territory. The participants represent a diverse range of sectors in Hong Kong’s financial industry,… Read More

March 30, 2025 @ 6:11 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Panama has introduced a draft bill to regulate cryptocurrencies and establish a legal framework for blockchain-based services, aiming to position itself as a fintech leader in Latin America. The proposed legislation recognizes cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and stablecoins as valid payment methods… Read More

March 28, 2025 @ 10:54 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a criminal complaint against Aux Cayes FinTech Co. Ltd., operator of digital asset exchange platform OKX, and nine associated individuals for allegedly running an unlicensed digital asset exchange, the regulator announced. The complaint, lodged with Thailand’s Economic… Read More

March 28, 2025 @ 5:46 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has proposed an investment of up to $75 million in a senior tranche of asset-backed securities (ABS) to support digital lending operations by SeaMoney (Capital) Co Ltd in Thailand. The senior tranche will… Read More

March 28, 2025 @ 12:32 pm By Michael Wong  |  

South Carolina’s House of Representatives has introduced a bill that would allow the state treasurer to establish a Bitcoin reserve as part of a broader effort to hedge against inflation and diversify state funds. The proposed Strategic Digital Assets Reserve Act, sponsored by Representative Jordan… Read More

March 28, 2025 @ 9:04 am By Michael Wong  |  

Algeria’s stock market regulator has granted a definitive license to Yinvesti, recognizing it as the country’s first officially approved securities crowdfunding platform, the Commission for the Organization and Supervision of Stock Market Operations (Cosob) said. The license allows Yinvesti to operate as an investment advisory… Read More

March 23, 2025 @ 10:30 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Fintech firm PayU, backed by global consumer internet group Prosus, has acquired a 43.5% strategic stake in India-based real-time payment technology provider Mindgate Solutions, bolstering its position in the country’s digital payments ecosystem. The transaction values Mindgate between $180 million and $250 million, depending on… Read More

March 23, 2025 @ 9:28 pm By Michael Wong  |  

IFC, IDB Invest, and Itaú Unibanco Holding S.A. have launched a BRL 1.4 billion ($250 million) bond issuance aimed at supporting biodiversity conservation and expanding access to credit for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Brazil. Structured as a private placement, the bond is… Read More

March 23, 2025 @ 3:27 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Nayla Finance, a Saudi Arabia-based Fintech focused on improving access to capital for micro-businesses, has raised $4 million in seed funding to scale its operations and expand its digital lending platform, the company said. The round was led by Sanabil Venture Studio by Stryber and… Read More

March 22, 2025 @ 11:36 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore-based digital asset infrastructure provider BetterX has secured S$2.3 million (approximately $1.7 million) in a pre-Series A funding round to support its expansion across Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. The funding round brought in new investors including Grand Prix Capital, Aument Capital,… Read More