April 5, 2026 @ 12:19 am By Michael Wong  |  

Bank Indonesia and the Bank of Korea have launched a cross-border QR payment link that allows Indonesians to pay in South Korea using QRIS through their domestic mobile apps, in the latest push by Asian central banks to build faster and cheaper regional payment networks…. Read More

April 4, 2026 @ 3:14 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Western Union has completed its acquisition of Dash, the Singapore-based digital wallet previously owned by Singtel, giving the U.S. payments company its first wallet in Asia-Pacific as it pushes deeper into digital financial services beyond its traditional remittance business. The deal, first announced in October… Read More

March 29, 2026 @ 6:27 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Indonesia’s antitrust agency has fined 97 peer-to-peer lending companies a combined Rp755 billion ($44.6 million) after finding them guilty of coordinating interest-rate practices in a cartel scheme, according to a report by The Jakarta Post. The Business Competition Supervisory Commission, or KPPU, said the lenders… Read More

March 29, 2026 @ 2:33 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Turkey’s parliament has dropped proposed cryptocurrency tax measures from a sweeping omnibus bill after opposition parties pushed back against the plan, Hurriyet Daily News reported. Lawmakers gathered under Deputy Speaker Celal Adan to debate the broad bill, which includes tax policy changes, defense spending measures… Read More

March 29, 2026 @ 7:54 am By Michael Wong  |  

Asia Pacific’s data centre development pipeline hit a record 19.4 gigawatts in 2025, underscoring a shift toward large-scale execution as hyperscale cloud and artificial intelligence demand accelerates across the region, according to Cushman & Wakefield. The pipeline includes 3.7GW under construction and 15.7GW in planning,… Read More

March 28, 2026 @ 6:00 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore-based payments infrastructure provider Tazapay has closed a Series B extension led by Circle Ventures, bringing its total Series B funding to $36 million. The funding comes as the startup looks to expand its regulatory licenses and scale cross-border payment services across emerging markets. New… Read More

March 28, 2026 @ 2:10 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Thailand’s trade regulator has rolled out new guidelines for e-commerce platforms, sharpening scrutiny of pricing and business conduct as Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy tries to keep its fast-growing digital marketplace competitive. The Trade Competition Commission of Thailand, or TCCT, said the new framework took effect… Read More

March 25, 2026 @ 12:34 am By Michael Wong  |  

Malaysia- and Hong Kong-based venture capital firm Gobi Partners is seeking to invest in Vietnam, including through the country’s newly established national venture capital fund, as Hanoi steps up efforts to channel more capital into strategic technology sectors. A Gobi delegation led by co-founder and… Read More

March 23, 2026 @ 1:48 am By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore’s central bank has released an industry-developed toolkit to help financial institutions manage risks from artificial intelligence, as regulators and banks move from broad AI principles to more practical controls for generative and agentic AI. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said it had concluded… Read More

March 23, 2026 @ 12:24 am By Michael Wong  |  

Credit card circulation and spending in Hong Kong rose sharply in the fourth quarter of 2025, with overseas retail spending posting the fastest growth, as consumers stepped up card use toward year-end, official data showed. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority said that the total number… Read More

March 22, 2026 @ 10:31 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Grab Holdings’ revenue rose 20% in 2025 to a record $3.37 billion, as Southeast Asia’s biggest super app added users, lifted engagement across its platform, and kept incentives under tighter control, according to its annual report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and… Read More

March 21, 2026 @ 5:55 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Rhino.fi, a crypto infrastructure provider, has launched a new feature aimed at standardising how businesses handle USD-pegged stablecoins, as fintech firms seek more predictable settlement across fragmented blockchain networks. The company said its “Stablecoin 1:1” product allows neobanks and fintech platforms to accept and settle… Read More

March 21, 2026 @ 5:15 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Kenya has opened a public consultation on draft rules to regulate virtual asset businesses, marking the clearest step yet toward bringing cryptocurrencies and other digital assets under formal state oversight after years of operating in a legal grey area. The National Treasury said the proposed… Read More

March 16, 2026 @ 1:13 am By Michael Wong  |  

Thistle Initiatives has acquired management consultancy TORI Global as the London-based compliance adviser pushes further into digital transformation and broader management consulting for financial services clients. The deal combines two independent consultancies serving banks, wealth managers, insurers, payments firms, fintechs and other financial institutions, creating… Read More

March 15, 2026 @ 6:37 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Bursa Malaysia launched a public consultation on proposed rule changes to allow the listing and trading of digital currency exchange-traded funds, marking another step in Malaysia’s push to widen regulated access to digital assets through mainstream capital market products. The exchange said the proposed amendments… Read More

March 15, 2026 @ 5:00 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore-based venture capital firm Empyrean Sky Partners said it has secured $90 million in the first close of its Global Technology Fund, marking what the firm described as the fastest initial close of 2026 as it targets $200 million for investments in next-generation industrial technologies…. Read More

March 15, 2026 @ 1:15 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Saudi artificial intelligence startup Infobrim has secured its first strategic angel investment at a $3.5 million valuation, as the Riyadh-based company looks to expand its software platform for enterprise data analytics and ride growing demand for AI tools in the kingdom. Financial details of the… Read More

March 14, 2026 @ 4:39 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed lifting a moratorium on new online lending platforms, reopening the market to new digital lenders while imposing tougher capital, disclosure, and consumer-protection rules on financing and lending companies. The draft circular, published for comment on March… Read More

March 14, 2026 @ 10:33 am By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore-based MetaComp has completed a Pre-A+ funding round backed by Alibaba, taking the fintech group’s total capital raised to $35 million across two rounds in three months, as it pushes to expand a platform that combines stablecoin payments with tokenised and traditional wealth products. MetaComp… Read More

March 14, 2026 @ 2:45 am By Michael Wong  |  

Global enterprise adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) accelerated sharply in 2025, with full implementation rising 282% from a year earlier as companies moved beyond pilot programs and began deploying the technology more broadly across their operations, according to Salesforce’s second annual Chief Information Officer study…. Read More