September 9, 2023 @ 3:43 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), a top-tier exchange group globally, marked the inauguration of its latest office in London this week, further amplifying its international influence. A celebratory reception was held in The City of London. Nicolas Aguzin, HKEX Chief Executive Officer, alongside… Read More

September 9, 2023 @ 3:38 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The global trade finance gap soared to an unprecedented $2.5 trillion in 2022, escalating from $1.7 trillion two years prior, reveals the 2023 Trade Finance Gaps, Growth and Jobs Survey presented by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today. This gap represents the discrepancy between requests… Read More

September 9, 2023 @ 10:34 am By Michael Wong  |  

Tokyo-based intelligent robotics startup Mujin has announced raising $85 million in its Series C funding round, further boosting its market share in the realm of AI-powered robotics for manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain operations. The funding round saw participation from top investors, including Japan’s SBI… Read More

September 6, 2023 @ 9:34 am By Michael Wong  |  

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology provider Elemental Cognition (EC.ai), has announced raising $60 million in its Series B funding round, with notable participation from Bridgewater Associates, Breyer Capital, AME Cloud Ventures, Staged Ventures, and other individual investors. The investment will be utilized to accelerate the commercial… Read More

September 6, 2023 @ 7:56 am By Michael Wong  |  

Global crypto exchange and Web3 company OKX has announced its support for the upcoming migration of Dora Factory (DORA) tokens, scheduled to take place on September 6, 2023, at 11:00 (UTC). In line with Dora Factory’s official token migration plan, OKX will cancel all pending… Read More

September 5, 2023 @ 3:22 pm By Michael Wong  |  

OneID, the sole provider of bank-verified digital identification services in the UK, has successfully secured £1m in fresh funding from ACF Investors. Established in 2020, OneID plans to use the newly acquired capital to advance its product development and reinforce its commitment to making the… Read More

September 5, 2023 @ 1:41 am By Michael Wong  |  

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has proposed a sustainability-linked financing package of €150 million to support Lion’s Head Investments AD (LHI), a commercial property investment platform in Bulgaria and Romania. The investment will be used for the acquisition… Read More

September 5, 2023 @ 12:40 am By Michael Wong  |  

Malaysia’s Labuan Financial Services Authority (Labuan FSA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) to facilitate increased regulatory, enforcement, and supervisory cooperation between the two regulatory bodies. The MoU was signed virtually by Nik Mohamed Din Nik Musa, Director-General… Read More

September 4, 2023 @ 11:50 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po cautioned in his weekly blog on Sunday that merely lowering the tax on securities trading would not necessarily breathe new life into city’s lethargic stock market, and added that piecemeal measures could be counterproductive. This is his first… Read More

September 4, 2023 @ 12:52 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Ivy, the company providing a global API for instant bank transfers, has successfully secured $20 million in a Series A investment round led by Valar Ventures. This development follows a $7.7 million seed round led by Creandum just a few months prior. “The rapid succession… Read More

September 4, 2023 @ 9:51 am By Michael Wong  |  

International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) formalized an agreement to strengthen the fintech ecosystem in Nepal, focusing on increasing the adoption of electronic payments and fostering innovation in digital financial services. This collaboration is part… Read More

September 4, 2023 @ 4:43 am By Michael Wong  |  

Japan’s telecom giant IPS Inc. has committed an additional $100 million in new investments into the Philippines for 2023 to 2024 to expand the capacity of a modern and secure gateway for the archipelago. This announcement was made by the Philippine Department of Information and… Read More

September 3, 2023 @ 8:17 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries have been urged to collaborate to maximize the region’s investment potential, estimated to reach $20 trillion by 2045, according to Arsjad Rasjid, Chairman of the ASEAN-Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC). Rasjid made the statement at the ASEAN Business… Read More

September 3, 2023 @ 5:08 am By Michael Wong  |  

As part of its commitment to promoting financial literacy, Gulf Bank is advising its customers on the risks associated with virtual assets like cryptocurrency. The initiative is part of the Let’s Be Aware “Diraya” campaign, now in its third consecutive year, which is spearheaded by… Read More

September 2, 2023 @ 9:19 pm By Michael Wong  |  

ACE Money Transfer, a fintech company based in Manchester, United Kingdom, has reinforced its longstanding partnership with Bank Alfalah, one of Pakistan’s commercial banks, to facilitate seamless remittance transactions for overseas Pakistanis. The collaboration was proudly announced along with Babar Azam, the Pakistan National Cricket… Read More

September 2, 2023 @ 10:13 am By Michael Wong  |  

In the rapidly evolving world of the internet, transitioning from Web2 to Web3 has become imperative for businesses around the globe. However, this transition poses significant challenges, such as identity interoperability, technical security, and user experience. KryptoGO, a player in the regulatory technology space, has… Read More

September 2, 2023 @ 10:10 am By Michael Wong  |  

Solarvest Borneo Sdn Bhd (Solarvest Borneo) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS), Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (Huawei Malaysia), and GreenBay CES Sdn Bhd (GreenBay) to launch a hyperscale green data center testbed and training… Read More

September 1, 2023 @ 6:37 pm By Michael Wong  |  

About 70% of digital transformation projects carried out by mid- to large-sized banks in the Asia-Pacific region have failed due to costly and lengthy in-house efforts, according to a report released by engagement banking fintech firm Backbase. The APAC-focused IDC InfoBrief, dubbed “Accelerating Customer-Centric Transformation… Read More

September 1, 2023 @ 11:56 am By Michael Wong  |  

S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI) announced several changes to its indices, including the S&P 500, S&P 100, S&P MidCap 400, and S&P SmallCap 600, effective before the opening of trading on Monday, September 18, as part of its quarterly rebalance. These changes aim to… Read More

September 1, 2023 @ 10:09 am By Michael Wong  |  

LC Financial Holdings (LCFH), a technology-driven credit specialist, has completed its acquisition of BCM Global (BCM), solidifying its position in managing consumer and SME loans, leases, and mortgages across Europe. Established in 1998, LC Financial Holdings includes LCM Partners, an alternative credit investment manager in… Read More