Michael Wong

Parallel Blockchain Startup Pharos Raises $8m to Develop Protocol

Pharos, a layer-1 blockchain network focused on hyper-parallelism, has completed an $8 million seed investment round. The funding was co-led by Lightspeed Faction and Hack VC, with SNZ Capital participating as a strategic anchor investor. Additional support came from Reforge, Dispersion Capital, Hash Global, Generative… Read More

Thailand Eyes Top Spot as Global Digital Hub

Thailand has the potential to become a world-class digital hub, which could offer a lot of economic opportunities for the country, Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong said. During Thailand Blockchain Week 2024 at Emsphere shopping mall in Bangkok, he noted that digital technology,… Read More

Ant International and Partners Unveil MSME Sustainability Too

Global digital payment and financial services firm Ant International is collaborating with industry partners to develop the MSME Sustainability Impact Scorecard (MSME S-Card). This pioneering digital solution aims to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Asia to track their environmental and social impacts… Read More

Binance Labs Enters DeSci with BIO Protocol Investment

Binance Labs has made its first foray into the Decentralized Science (DeSci) sector with an investment in BIO Protocol (BIO), a pioneering platform aimed at transforming early-stage scientific research financing and commercialization through blockchain technology. BIO Protocol is likened to a Y Combinator for on-chain… Read More

Saudi and Hong Kong Strengthen Economic Link with New $1bn Joint Investment Fund

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) 8th Edition in Riyadh to jointly anchor a proposed $1 billion investment fund. The initiative, announced on October 31, is… Read More

Investment Crowdfunding Platform Equitise Enters Administration After Failing to Secure Funding

Australian crowdfunding platform Equitise has entered administration after failing to secure new funding necessary to sustain its operations, according to a filing lodged with the corporate regulator seen by The Australian Financial Review. It was reported earlier this year that Equitise had lost its license… Read More

UAE’s Warburg AI Secures Fresh Funding to Boost AI Financial Services

Warburg AI, a UAE-based artificial intelligence company specializing in financial services, has raised $250,000 in seed funding to accelerate the development of its AI-driven financial solutions, according to an announcement. Founded in September 2024 in Sharjah by entrepreneurs Ben Feaver, Lancelot de Brier, and Madiyar… Read More

CryptoBlox Signs $5m Deal to Acquire Blockchain Fintech

Listed firm CryptoBlox Technologies Inc. has announced its acquisition of Blockchain Fintech Unipessoal LDA, a Portuguese company specializing in blockchain-based financial technologies. The announcement was part of the amended agreement that revises the initial acquisition terms disclosed on March 5, 2024, reflecting the latest developments… Read More

Singapore MAS Launches Global Fintech Network to Drive Innovation

Singapore at Night Marina Bay

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced the establishment of the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), a new initiative designed to reinforce Singapore’s standing as a major global fintech hub while promoting international connectivity for impactful financial innovation. The GFTN aims to build on… Read More

Fintech Major Broadridge Expands in Canada with Kyndryl SIS Platform Buy

NYSE-listed global Fintech player Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. has finalized its acquisition of Kyndryl’s Securities Industry Services (SIS) platform, a move aimed at strengthening its position in the Canadian financial services market. The SIS platform, known for providing wealth management and capital markets software solutions,… Read More

Malaysia’s GHL Systems partners with Japan’s JCB to accept cards in Southeast Asia

Malaysia’s GHL Systems Berhad and Japan’s JCB International Co Ltd have formed a strategic partnership to enable the acceptance of JCB cards for GHL’s merchants in Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, the companies said. The collaboration aims to enhance payment convenience for merchants and shoppers… Read More

SEPA Cyber Rebrands as FinHub, Launches Financial Super Platform

SEPA Cyber Tech Group Holding Ltd., a prominent technology developer and venture capital firm based in London, has rebranded its financial technology division as FinHub and unveiled an ambitious financial super platform under the same name. FinHub’s newly launched platform is designed to meet the… Read More

SONECT Expands Banking Enablement Services Across Europe

Swiss-based Fintech company SONECT has announced its expansion into European Union markets, marking a strategic push to meet growing regional demand for flexible cash access and banking solutions. The move supports SONECT’s objective of providing efficient, accessible financial services across the EU, targeting both individual… Read More

Australia Launches Three-Year Plan to Explore CBDC Potential

Australia has announced a three-year initiative to explore central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), focusing on wholesale applications, regulatory reforms, and industry engagement. Brad Jones, Assistant Governor (Financial System) at the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), shared details of the plan at an industry event in… Read More

Saudi Aramco’s Venture Arm Earmarks $100m for AI Startups

Wa’ed Ventures, the venture capital arm of Saudi Aramco, has allocated $100 million to invest in early-stage artificial intelligence (AI) startups. The fund aims to accelerate Saudi Arabia’s push to enhance its competitiveness in the global AI sector, Bloomberg reported. The investment will be deployed… Read More

HKMA Launches Data-Sharing Platform for Banks, Tech Firms

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has launched the IADS Developer Platform, a collaborative venture with the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) aimed at fostering innovation between banks and technology firms. This new platform, part of the Interbank Account Data Sharing (IADS)… Read More

South Korea Tightens Cross-Border Crypto Monitoring for 2025

South Korea is set to strengthen oversight of cross-border virtual asset trading, including cryptocurrency, with revised regulations slated for enactment by late 2025, according to reports. The government aims to revise the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act in collaboration with relevant agencies, intending to curb illegal… Read More

Security Breach Prompts Aark Digital to Issue $225K Bounty

Blockhain-focused Aark Digital has offered a 15% bounty in response to a recent security breach that led to the unauthorized withdrawal of around 1,386,085 USDC and 24.143 ETH. The incident, which involved unauthorized access to Aark Digital’s systems, resulted in the loss of approximately $1.4… Read More

UK’s FCA Targets Illegal Finfluencers in Crackdown

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is intensifying its efforts to curb illegal activities by financial influencers, commonly known as “finfluencers“, who may be promoting financial services unlawfully. As part of a targeted crackdown, the regulator has issued 38 alerts against social media accounts run by… Read More

Malaysia’s Dual-Licensed Digital Asset Exchange Hata Raises $4.2M

Hata.io, a Malaysia-based digital asset brokerage and exchange in the Asia Pacific region, has raised $4.2 million in a seed funding round aimed at fueling its expansion. The newly secured capital will be used to develop new products and accelerate user acquisition across the Asia… Read More

Send this to a friend