Asia

April 15, 2024 @ 10:34 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Investment platform TWINO is announcing the suspension of lending operations in the Asia-Pacific region. TWINO says that it is reaching out to provide clients “with an important update regarding TWINO Group’s lending operations in Vietnam and the Philippines, part of the joint venture with VIA… Read More

April 14, 2024 @ 2:24 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Tether Operations Limited, which claims to be one of the largest companies in the digital asset industry, and Coins.ph, a digital asset exchange in the Philippines, announced that they are joining forces to promote financial education of blockchain technologies, Bitcoin, and Stablecoins, in the region…. Read More

April 13, 2024 @ 1:48 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra endorsed the new digital wallet initiative, suggesting it could be a significant boon for Thailand’s sluggish economy, according a report by The Nation. Speaking at the Kiattiocha Restaurant in Chiang Mai province, where he was joined by his sisters and… Read More

April 12, 2024 @ 3:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Nuvei Corporation (Nasdaq: NVEI), the Canadian Fintech company, announces that its Singapore entity, Nuvei Singapore Pte Ltd, has been granted a Major Payment Institution (MPI) license by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. This new license enables Nuvei to “operate three types of payments services in… Read More

April 10, 2024 @ 5:09 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The TradeX app, which aims to enhance predictions markets, is reporting its latest updates. TradeX, which previously secured funding from Y Combinator and other investors, has so  far reportedly raised $4.5 million. The platform’s creators have launched a B2B vertical, expanding its offerings and partnerships…. Read More

April 10, 2024 @ 11:14 am By JD Alois  |  

GrtWines is a new online investment platform that focuses solely on collectible wines. At the beginning of the year, GrtWines revealed its inaugural collection, “100 Magnums,” featuring Bordeaux wines. According to GrtWines, this first collection sold out in four days, thus displaying high demand for… Read More

April 9, 2024 @ 10:23 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In Singapore’s dynamic e-commerce landscape, payment cards reign supreme, commanding over 40% of the market share for online transactions in 2023. As consumers increasingly pivot “towards digital channels, the country’s e-commerce market is expected to register a robust 13% growth in 2024 to reach SGD22.3… Read More

April 9, 2024 @ 10:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Crypto.com, which claims to be “trusted” by more than 80 million customers worldwide and the industry leader in regulatory compliance, security and privacy, announced that its Dubai entity, CRO DAX Middle East FZE, has “received full operational approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA)… Read More

April 9, 2024 @ 10:21 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Chinese investment in Australia fell 36 percent to AU$1.34 billion in 2023, compared to AU$2.1 billion in 2022, with healthcare overtaking mining as the key industry. It was the second lowest year in investment value “since 2006, and the joint-lowest year in number of investment… Read More

April 8, 2024 @ 9:46 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Adyen (AMS: ADYEN), the global financial technology platform of choice for leading enterprise businesses, today announced its partnership with PayMe by HSBC in Hong Kong to become an acquirer for the mobile payment service. Through this partnership, Adyen’s merchants can now accept PayMe as “a payment… Read More

April 8, 2024 @ 7:45 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Grab Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: GRAB) announced updates to its Board of Directors. With immediate effect from April 1, 2024, Daniel Yun (Chief Executive Officer of KakaoBank) and David Loh (Executive Director and Joint Chairman of Centurion Corporation) will be appointed to Grab’s Board of Directors,… Read More

April 7, 2024 @ 9:15 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the apex banking authority in the nation, is gearing up to unveil a comprehensive framework for a self-regulatory organization (SRO) specifically tailored for the fintech sector. This forthcoming initiative was revealed by Governor Shaktikanta Das during the post-monetary policy… Read More

April 7, 2024 @ 8:31 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) announced that the share of retail consumer electronic payments -one of the Financial Sector Development Program’s KPIs- reached 70% of total retail payments in 2023, up from 62% in 2022. This achievement is attributed “to the significant growth of payments… Read More

April 7, 2024 @ 8:16 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Shinhan Bank, a prominent player in South Korea’s banking sector, is set to enter the digital arena, vying for a license to become the country’s fourth internet-only bank, according to a Korea Herald report. The move positions Shinhan to compete with established digital banks such… Read More

April 7, 2024 @ 7:32 pm By Michael Wong  |  

China’s central bank announced on Sunday plans to establish a substantial 500 billion yuan ($70 billion) re-lending initiative aimed at bolstering the nation’s science and technology sectors, according to  a Reuters report. This move underscores the country’s commitment to fostering innovation and supporting its burgeoning… Read More

April 7, 2024 @ 9:40 am By Omar Faridi  |  

PhonePe announced a partnership with Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Ltd., which claims to be India’s largest retail health insurance Company, to offer customers health insurance with a monthly and annual payment option. With this partnership, PhonePe users will now “be able to avail… Read More

April 7, 2024 @ 9:14 am By Michael Wong  |  

Financial inclusion data provider Smile API has successfully closed a funding round with DEG‘s Up-Scaling program, a venture supported by the German Development Finance Institution. This initiative, co-financed by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, channels investments into innovative Fintech and greentech ventures… Read More

April 5, 2024 @ 8:09 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) and the Bank of the Lao PDR (BOL) have officially joined the Regional Payment Connectivity (RPC), marking a significant milestone in ASEAN’s financial integration efforts, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has announced. The BDCB’s accession to the RPC… Read More

April 5, 2024 @ 7:06 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced significant amendments to the Payment Services Act (PS Act) and its subsidiary legislation, marking a pivotal step in expanding the regulatory framework for payment services within the city-state. These amendments, which aim to incorporate a broader spectrum of… Read More

April 5, 2024 @ 9:35 am By JD Alois  |  

ZA Bank, one of the first regulated digital banks in Hong Kong, is now supporting stablecoins. Stablecoins are digital assets tied to another asset. Typically, this means fiat currency like the US dollar or Euro, but they can also be tied to other assets like… Read More