Asia

September 10, 2025 @ 4:26 am By Michael Wong  |  

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) said it plans to issue new licenses for platforms that trade fractional investment securities, establishing a legal framework for services that until now operated under a regulatory sandbox. Fractional investment services allow multiple investors to buy shares in ownership… Read More

September 10, 2025 @ 2:20 am By Michael Wong  |  

LineWise, a US-based startup developing an AI-powered “virtual engineer” for manufacturers, said it has raised $1.1 million in pre-seed funding from A2D Ventures, Y Combinator and a group of global investors. The round, which also included Exitfund, REMUS Capital, SBXi Fund and Team Ignite Ventures,… Read More

September 10, 2025 @ 2:17 am By Michael Wong  |  

A major Chinese financial technology company is in talks to acquire blockchain solutions from Venom Foundation, an Abu Dhabi-based platform, as part of efforts to modernise digital financial services, Chinese media outlet Toutiao reported. The potential deal aligns with Beijing’s recently issued guidelines on financial… Read More

September 10, 2025 @ 1:05 am By Michael Wong  |  

Nuveen Private Capital has entered into a strategic partnership with Hunter Point Capital (HPC) and Singapore state investor Temasek, a deal that underscores the rapid expansion of private credit as institutional investors seek alternative sources of yield. HPC and Temasek will take minority stakes in… Read More

September 9, 2025 @ 5:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Companies worldwide are increasingly turning to cryptocurrencies as core treasury assets, blending traditional balance sheets with digital tech advancements. This trend, accelerating in 2025 under the Trump Administration, underscores a maturing digital assets ecosystem where institutions are not just exploring or considering this sector but… Read More

September 9, 2025 @ 1:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency recently dismantled an international hacking ring responsible for stealing millions in cryptocurrency, leveraging advanced blockchain analytics from Chainalysis. This operation marks a critical step in combating the escalating wave of crypto-related crimes, which have surged globally in 2025, driven by… Read More

September 8, 2025 @ 11:53 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Adams Street Partners, LLC, a Chicago-based firm specializing private markets investment management, has officially unveiled its first office in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. With (a reported0 over $62 billion in assets under management (AUM), Adams Street’s entry into Abu Dhabi underscores the firm’s… Read More

September 8, 2025 @ 10:50 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has taken significant steps to bolster Hong Kong’s position as a global hub for sustainable finance, with two key initiatives announced in September 2025. The launch of a public consultation on the Phase 2A prototype of the Hong Kong… Read More

September 8, 2025 @ 9:49 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Singapore continues to solidify its position as a global hub for financial innovation and regional collaboration through recent developments: the Green Investments Partnership (GIP) achieving its first close with US$510 million in committed capital and the reaffirmation of bilateral cooperation between the Brunei Darussalam Central… Read More

September 7, 2025 @ 11:23 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) said online lending volumes climbed 22.01% year-on-year in July, even as it tightened enforcement across the financing sector with fresh sanctions on dozens of institutions. Total peer-to-peer (P2P) loan disbursements reached Rp84.5 trillion ($5.3 billion) in July, up from Rp83.5… Read More

September 7, 2025 @ 8:34 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has finalized its acquisition of Bengaluru-based digital lending startup Axio, formerly known as Capital Float. As reported by local sources, the deal, completed eight months after the signing of a definitive agreement in December 2024, marks one of Amazon’s largest buyouts in India,… Read More

September 7, 2025 @ 3:24 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Sora Ventures, a Taiwan-based venture capital firm specializing in digital assets, has launched Asia’s first $1 billion Bitcoin (BTC) treasury fund. Announced at Taipei Blockchain Week, the initiative is backed by an initial $200 million from institutional investors across the region, with plans to acquire… Read More

September 5, 2025 @ 9:10 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Stripe, the programmable financial services company, today launched Stripe Terminal in Japan, helping Japanese businesses unify commerce experiences across online and offline channels. The announcement was made at Stripe Tour Tokyo, the company’s annual gathering of business leaders in Japan “where Stripe showcased a series… Read More

September 5, 2025 @ 1:22 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) recently released the findings of their annual joint survey on the distribution of non-exchange-traded investment products, showing record sales and level of market participation for these products during 2024. Total transaction amount… Read More

September 4, 2025 @ 10:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Qatar Development Bank (QDB) has positioned itself as a key player in digital banking by modernizing its IT infrastructure through a partnership with IBM. Established back in 1997, QDB is considered to be a key part of Qatar’s economic diversification, dedicated to empowering small and… Read More

September 4, 2025 @ 1:45 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The latest Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index, released on September 2, 2025, highlights a transformative year for cryptocurrency, with India and the United States emerging as global leaders in grassroots and institutional adoption, respectively. This latest report by Chainalysis, a blockchain analytics firm, analyzes on-chain… Read More

September 3, 2025 @ 7:21 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The venture capital funding landscape in China has shown signs of contraction in 2025, “reflecting broader global trend and challenges specific to the domestic market.” According to recent data, the total VC deal volume in China “has decreased marginally by around 1% during January-July 2025… Read More

September 3, 2025 @ 2:19 am By Michael Wong  |  

Amartha, an Indonesia-based platform for entrepreneurs, announced it has secured a digital wallet license from Bank Indonesia and transformed into Amartha Financial Group. The company is expanding beyond microloans into digital payments, micro-investments, and other financial services for Indonesia’s rural economy, which employs over 40… Read More

September 2, 2025 @ 7:38 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain security firm SlowMist has announced that its proprietary anti-money laundering (AML) tracking system, MistTrack, has been selected for the Hong Kong Cyberport Blockchain & Digital Asset Pilot Subsidy Scheme. This acknowledgement underscores MistTrack’s approach and practical value in combating financial crime within the rapidly… Read More

September 2, 2025 @ 5:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

Solowin (NASDAQ: SWIN), a Hong Kong-based financial services firm that is in the digital asset sector, says it will gain a US banking license via the acquisition of an unnamed chartered bank. Solowin says that it is in “advanced stages” of the acquisition, adding that… Read More