September 22, 2023 @ 8:31 am By Michael Wong  |  

Chinese digital payment giant Ant Group has officially integrated seven prominent Asian e-wallets and payment apps into its “Alipay+-in-China” Program (A+China Program). The firm confirmed that users of mPay (Macao SAR, China), Hipay (Mongolia), Changi Pay (Singapore), OCBC (Singapore), Naver Pay (South Korea), Toss Pay… Read More

September 22, 2023 @ 1:11 am By Michael Wong  |  

Starting next year, four top insurance companies headquartered in Singapore – AIA Singapore, Income Insurance, Prudential Assurance Company Singapore, and The Great Eastern Life Assurance Company – will undergo heightened capital requirements, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has announced. Specifically, the four insurers will… Read More

September 21, 2023 @ 2:11 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore-based insurtech firm bolttech has announced raising $50 million in its Series B funding round anchored by impact investment firm LeapFrog Investments. The latest funding round brings bolttech’s Series B round to $246 million, marking the most substantial Series B round for any insurtech company… Read More

September 21, 2023 @ 10:22 am By Michael Wong  |  

A landmark cooperation agreement has been forged between the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Banking Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina (UBBiH). This collaboration is set to strengthen the environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) capabilities of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s banking industry. The alliance strives… Read More

September 21, 2023 @ 6:17 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) unveiled the Green Fintech Competition today, aiming to foster the assimilation of green fintech solutions within the city’s banking realm. This competition aligns with HKMA’s commitment to buttressing the banking sector’s adaptability to climate risk. Green fintech enterprises, both… Read More

September 20, 2023 @ 7:26 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Sumsub, an international verification platform, has entered into a partnership with dtcpay, a prominent payment service provider based in Singapore. This collaboration aims to enhance the security and reliability of digital currency transactions, specifically in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, UK, and Europe. A significant element… Read More

September 20, 2023 @ 8:38 am By Michael Wong  |  

In a significant move towards bolstering the global fight against climate change, HSBC announced today its commitment to allocate $1bn in financing to early-stage climate tech startups worldwide. This ambitious initiative aims to accelerate the development of innovative solutions in various domains, including electric vehicle… Read More

September 20, 2023 @ 7:27 am By Michael Wong  |  

SMI Vantage Limited, Singapore-based firm dedicated to cultivating new economy investments, is venturing into the cryptocurrency space by initiating a Bitcoin mining operation in Malaysia. The company disclosed the signing of a rental offer agreement via its wholly-owned subsidiary, SMI CS Pte Ltd. As per… Read More

September 18, 2023 @ 9:47 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Malaysia’s e-government service provider, MY E.G. Services Berhad (MYEG), is joining forces with China’s state-owned Guangxi Beitou IT Innovation Technology Investment Group Co., Ltd. (Beitou IT Innovation) to pioneer an international digital identity credentials service using the Zetrix blockchain. Unveiled at the recent China-ASEAN Expo… Read More

September 18, 2023 @ 9:32 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) has revealed that significant retail banks in the city-state have bolstered their security protocols against malware scams, introducing enhancements and new countermeasures to adapt to the ever-evolving threat landscape. In a bid to safeguard their varied customer base… Read More

September 18, 2023 @ 11:12 am By Michael Wong  |  

Institutional investors are increasingly valuing the significance of digital assets in their diversified investment portfolios, according to new research from London-based regulated digital assets hedge fund Nickel Digital Asset Management. The research highlights a growing consensus on the incorporation of digital assets to ensure diversification…. Read More

September 17, 2023 @ 5:15 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the city’s central bank, has released its Q2/2023 payment card statistics, revealing that the total number of credit cards in circulation in Hong Kong reached 19.71 million by the end of the second quarter. This indicates a marginal growth… Read More

September 17, 2023 @ 3:11 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Nanofiber Quantum Technologies Inc. (NanoQT) announced a successful $8.5 million fundraising round, anchored by  global venture capital firms. The round was backed by US’s Phoenix Venture Partners (PvP) and Japan’s JAFCO Group Co Ltd, SPARX Group Co Ltd, Keio Innovation Initiative, Inc. (KII), and Waseda… Read More

September 17, 2023 @ 2:46 pm By Michael Wong  |  

In a landmark move to fortify commercial ties between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Arabia-China Entrepreneurs Association (SCEA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). The MoU was inked during the eighth Belt and Road Summit…. Read More

September 17, 2023 @ 2:35 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has issued a public advisory warning against crypto businesses that are presenting themselves as “banks” or labeling their products as “deposits”. The regulatory body emphasizes that such misrepresentations may violate the Banking Ordinance. There have been instances of crypto… Read More

September 16, 2023 @ 4:55 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Learn.xyz, a startup focusing on generative AI in education, has unveiled its innovative, AI-driven social learning app for iOS and Android platforms. This launch coincides with the company’s successful $3 million Seed funding. The new app, catering to a worldwide audience, offers the unique ability… Read More

September 16, 2023 @ 4:48 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is allocating a $10 million loan to Uzbekistan’s Ipak Yuli Bank in a bid to bolster the bank’s lending initiatives directed at small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially those owned by women. The… Read More

September 16, 2023 @ 10:40 am By Michael Wong  |  

Global payments company Circle Internet Financial (Circle) and Southeast Asia’s super app Grab announced a groundbreaking partnership that aims to usher in Web3 customer experiences in Singapore. This innovative collaboration will see the integration of Circle’s new Web3 Services platform directly into the Grab app…. Read More

September 16, 2023 @ 10:32 am By Michael Wong  |  

London-based fintech firm Hyperjar, celebrated for its digital payment solutions and personalized rewards system, has announced raising $24 million in a Series A funding round backed by Susquehanna Private Equity Investments and the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan. Having its roots in 2016 and officially… Read More

September 16, 2023 @ 10:18 am By Michael Wong  |  

The recently introduced ASEAN QR Code innovation promises to open up a broader market for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by facilitating seamless cross-border payments, Pandu Sjahrir, the legacy lead of ASEAN QR Code, told Indonesia’s news agency ANTARA. This integration offers a platform… Read More