May 18, 2026 @ 12:23 am By Michael Wong  |  

Hong Kong regulators and market participants have released a sector-focused transition finance guide for the technology industry, as the city seeks to give banks, investors, and issuers more practical tools for assessing climate transition plans in digital infrastructure and ICT financing. The Hong Kong Green… Read More

May 18, 2026 @ 12:19 am By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore’s central bank will ease some rules governing the sale of complex investment products to retail investors, as regulators seek to balance investor protection with growing demand for self-directed investing platforms and digital financial services. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said it will proceed… Read More

May 17, 2026 @ 7:06 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Qatar has launched a $30 million deep-tech venture fund that will invest in early-stage startups headquartered in the country that are developing tech with measurable social or climate impact. The fund adds to a wave of state-backed investment vehicles across the Gulf aimed at attracting… Read More

May 17, 2026 @ 3:29 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Australia’s NEXTDC has opened a $720 million data center in Malaysia, betting on rising demand for AI infrastructure and cloud services in Southeast Asia as governments and companies race to expand digital capacity. The facility, known as KL1 Kuala Lumpur, marks NEXTDC’s first international expansion and comes… Read More

May 16, 2026 @ 5:10 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Recursive Superintelligence has raised $650 million at a $4.65 billion valuation in a funding round led by GV and Greycroft, according to the company. The round also included participation from AMD Ventures and NVIDIA, placing the stealth-mode AI lab among a growing group of venture-backed… Read More

May 16, 2026 @ 4:51 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Los Angeles-headquartered fintech Fasset said it raised $51 million in a Series B funding round backed by SBI Group, Investcorp, Arz Portföy, and strategic family offices. The round comes as the company looks to expand stablecoin-powered banking and cross-border payment services across emerging markets, according… Read More

May 10, 2026 @ 6:34 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Southeast Asia’s food delivery market is becoming a structural part of household spending rather than a pandemic-era habit, BMI Country Risk and Industry Research said, pointing to Grab Holdings’ record first-quarter results as evidence of a broader shift in consumer behavior. Singapore-based Grab reported first-quarter… Read More

May 10, 2026 @ 12:41 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore retained its position among the world’s stronger jurisdictions for combating illicit finance after the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said the city-state has a “robust and effective” framework to counter money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation financing. The development comes as regulators push for… Read More

May 10, 2026 @ 11:38 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it plans to mobilize $30 billion by 2030 to help Southeast Asian nations strengthen economic resilience, deepen capital markets, and accelerate regional energy connectivity as the bloc faces mounting geopolitical and economic uncertainty. ADB President Masato Kanda announced the commitment during the 48th… Read More

May 10, 2026 @ 9:42 am By Michael Wong  |  

As regulators tighten scrutiny of artificial intelligence in finance, blockchain infrastructure firms are racing to build systems that can prove how autonomous AI agents make decisions. Inveniam Capital Partners, a data infrastructure company for private markets, launched NVNM Chain, a Layer 2 blockchain designed to… Read More

May 10, 2026 @ 6:41 am By Michael Wong  |  

BioMatrix has launched a new platform it says will help AI projects secure verified human participation as companies grapple with the rapid spread of synthetic content online. The company launched BioMatrix 3.0, which it describes as a “human participation network” for the AI economy, at… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 6:08 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Jito Foundation has teamed up with Nasdaq-listed Solana Company to expand institutional-grade Solana validator and staking infrastructure across the Asia-Pacific region. The move comes as blockchain networks compete to attract regulated financial institutions and professional investors, analysts said. Per the announcement, the partnership will see… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 3:17 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Crypto exchange Kraken is partnering with MoneyGram to allow customers convert digital assets into cash through the money transfer firm’s global retail network. The move addresses one of crypto’s long-running practical challenges: moving funds from digital weallets into local currency. The companies said Kraken users… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 2:51 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Stablecoin infrastructure startups are heading into corporate treasuries as businesses seek faster, cheaper ways to manage cross-border money. Among them is Mesta, which is expanding its platform beyond payments into accounts, wallets, yield, and card products, according to an announcement. The Miami-based company said it… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 2:11 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Miami-based crypto startup Wire Wallet said it will launch its crypto wallet app on May 27, introducing what it describes as an “active wallet” designed to execute financial actions. The wallet will act on behalf of users within rules and guardrails they define, per the… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 1:10 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Taiwan-based blockchain technology firm OwlTing Group said it has launched a self-custody digital wallet designed for AI agents, betting on the rise of “agentic commerce” where AI systems can make payments and conduct transactions on behalf of users. The Nasdaq-listed company said its new OwlPay… Read More

May 6, 2026 @ 2:30 am By Michael Wong  |  

Featherless.ai, a Singapore-based artificial intelligence infrastructure firm, has secured $20 million in Series A funding to expand its platform for deploying open-source AI models. The round was co-led by AMD Ventures and Airbus Ventures, with participation from BMW i Ventures, Kickstart Ventures, Panache Ventures, and… Read More

May 3, 2026 @ 11:28 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has moved forward with proposed changes to the Securities and Futures Act 2001 that would make it easier for companies to pursue dual listings on the Singapore Exchange and overseas markets. The proposed framework is designed to support the… Read More

May 3, 2026 @ 5:48 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Digital payments major Ant International announced that its global network now connects more than 150 million merchants with over 2 billion user accounts. The growth comes as the fintech firm expands its payments, cross-border commerce, and AI-driven financial services infrastructure, according to an announcement. The… Read More

May 3, 2026 @ 11:49 am By Michael Wong  |  

UAE-based Fintech VaultsPay has entered into a strategic collaboration with Mastercard, in a move that could strengthen its card issuance and merchant acquiring capabilities as competition intensifies in the country’s digital payments market. Under the agreement, VaultsPay will use Mastercard’s global network and payments technology… Read More